


Ready Player 2

by McGlamorous



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Other, References to Depression, References to attempted suicide, Slow Burn, literally all the pairings are friends and then they start smooching, mentions of character deaths, parallel timelines, there's a voice in someone's head that is vague but occasionally helpful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2018-07-11 07:16:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 90,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7035367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McGlamorous/pseuds/McGlamorous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was never about the climbing for Tallon.<br/>It was about the fall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Change In Perspective

When Tallon was young, she always had a fascination with heights. She had climbed the stairs before she fully understood the concept of crawling. She climbed onto counters and various furniture just after learning how to stand. As she grew she climbed higher and higher. By the age of five she was climbing trees. By eight she was taking rock climbing lessons at the local gym.

“Why do you like climbing so much? It's all you ever want to do,” her mother asks again, like she does every year before Tallon leaves on her trip.

“I like the change in perspective,” she lied.

Eventually her mother began noticing the signs of depression. Tallon talked to only a few people, and usually only about school or climbing. She smiled, laughed, but her eyes were empty. She ate as little as possible to keep herself healthy, and climbing was her only outlet. When she weren't at the tops of rock walls or trees, she were cooped up in her room, staring at the ceiling.

After a few years of watching her child suffer quietly, Tallon's mother went through her room while she was on a trip. She found a diary, which held details from every climb she'd been on from the time she was 10. After a page or so of description of the scenery and comments on the climb itself, there was almost double the amount of pages dedicated to explaining what would have happened if she'd fell.

The first few trips were smaller climbs, mostly going out to different rock climbs around the area and going up them a few times. These would have only left Tallon with scrapes and bruises. By the time they were 13 they were going to mountain trails, hiking miles uphill rather than climbing a flat surface. These would have also resulted in minor harm, with the occasional statistic on animal attacks.

It was the more recent entry that scared her.

Tallon's mother put the diary back on the desk and left the room in tears.

It was never about the climb. She'd lied about the change of perspective.

Her daughter was preparing themselves for one mountain in particular. Mount Ebott: the tallest mountain range that she can get to without traveling overseas.

And it wasn't the climb that had her excited.

It was the fall.


	2. The Hike

Tallon had always been fascinated with heights. Even from a young age she was attracted to tall trees, climbing on top of play sets, rather than actually playing on them, and fantasizing what would happen when she fell.

It took her years to realize that this fascination with heights was because she wanted to die. There were very few things that made Tallon feel happy. Sure, she loved her mother and she had a few friends that she would do anything for. She did well in school, she found a passion in climbing, but nothing stopped her from feeling like everything she did was useless. She would find joy in a book, a movie, her friends, and then be reminded that none of it matters, that eventually it all ends. She watched her friends drift away from her because of that fear, because she closed herself off from them and pushed them away. She wanted them to be happy, and her mind told her they'd be happier without her. So she focused on climbing.

When Tallon was hiking one year, she'd overheard a conversation between the rangers that there had been a mauling in the woods a few days previous. She felt sympathy for the hiker, but also envy in that they were finally free of all this. She started researching different heights and what it could do to a body of her stature between looking for new places to explore.

This was how she found out about Mount Ebott.

It was a beautiful mountain, the lower areas covered with a lush forest, the top a rocky slope perfect for climbing. It was said that there was a cavern that ran throughout it, but the only entrance was from the top. Tallon had smiled at this fact. She read on its history, scoffed at the stories about monsters hiding in its depths, and began planning her final trip out into the unknown.

* * *

 

Tallon dressed for a hike but packed for a climb. She knew that, in order to get to the very top, she would have to climb at an almost 90 degree angle alone. She smiled, lifting her bag onto her back and heading to the taxi outside. She stopped in the doorway to say goodbye to her mother.

“Be safe,” she always said.

“Of course,” Tallon lied.

They hugged, and her mother watched as Tallon climbed into the cab and drove off. It was her 18th birthday in a week and Tallon wanted to celebrate at the top of Mount Ebott, the tallest mountain she could get her hands on. Her calloused fingers ached in anticipation of the steep slope waiting for her, her legs tensing, ready for the two days of hiking it would take to reach her destination.

But first, she would have to spend a day with a stranger in a small car. She would smile, make small talk as they traveled, politely request pit stops for food and bathroom breaks for them both. She would treat the cabbie to food in exchange for the meter to be stopped during their breaks.

Tallon would act as she is expected to act, do what she was expected to do, and wait. She would wait for the glorious moment when she was free of the cab, free from the outside world. It would be just them, herself and the mountain.

* * *

Her day trip was extended into a day and a half with the food stops, which was fine with her. She had time. It was mid morning when the taxi pulled up next to an unmarked trail.

“This is me,” Tallon confirmed, paying the cabbie for the trip and tipping him for the company.

The cabbie nodded, backing out onto the road before rolling his window down. “If you need someone to do the return trip, don't hesitate to request me,” he said. “You're probably the best fare I've had in a long time.”

Tallon smiled, “Well thank you, sir. I'll keep that in mind.” She waved as he drove away.

 _Finally_ , she thought, _it's just me and you, Ebott. Are you ready for this?_

Tallon checked her equipment and tightened her boots, which got loosened during the drive, and set off on the trail. She had a map tucked in her back pocket, already marked up and labeled, that she would consult once the visible trail ended in a few miles.

She was on schedule, even with the stops along the way. She had three days to reach the top. The next two days would be spent hiking uphill and over rocks, the next few nights spent setting up an eno between trees and sleeping at least 30 feet off the ground.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did someone actually read this? Thank you so much~  
> I get this itch about story ideas that don't go away until I write it, and for once I just really wanted to post something. So! Questions, comments, concerns? Post below and I'll answer asap.  
> -JM


	3. The Climb

On the morning of before her birthday, Tallon woke up as the sun broke over the horizon. “Just the mountain to climb, then I'm done.” She carefully climbed out of the eno onto a lower branch, and began detaching it from the tree. She rolled it, carefully replacing it into its pocket, and tucked it into her bag before climbing down. She ate a couple of granola bars before lacing up her boots and making her way to the last thing between her and the top.

* * *

 

Tallon had only recently began to learn how to free solo rock climb, but she'd picked it up easily enough. She felt confident that this would be no more difficult than the cliffside back home. Once the slope was in view, Tallon could see that her route would be a bit of a zig-zag, rather than a straight line up. There wasn't a solid guarantee that she could find a decent rock that would support her weight without shimmying to the left or right. She marked out a path in her head before setting down her pack and checking her things.

She quickly changed out of her hiking clothes and into her climbing gear. The nylon pants were one thing, they had four pockets, two regular pockets and four zipper pockets. She put her medkit in one, a pocket knife in another, and energy bars in a third. She checked her water bottle, making sure it was secure in the side pocket of her bag, before attaching her chalk bag to her hip. Tallon stood still for a moment, checking the temperature, and decided that it was worm enough that she wouldn't need a jacket. She changed into a tank top instead, and attached her bag securely around her shoulders and waste.

Her start would be easy enough, there were plenty of rocks and boulders that she could climb up before having to actually be on the mountain side. She got about 10 feet off the ground before having to find a handhold on the mountain. _3 meters down, roughly 597 to go,_ Tallon thought with a smile. It was going to a good day.

* * *

 

Almost half way up, Tallon found a ledge that she could rest on. She was panting and sweaty, her legs shaking. She drank half of her second water and ate a few snack bars. “Jesus H. Christ,” she sighed, laying down as much as she can. “Mount Ebott, I refuse to give up, but I might have to take a break.”

It was midday, the sun glaring overhead, yet Tallon felt safe on the ledge, untouched by the sun because of the rocks above her. She nodded off, smiling, and dreamed of flying.

* * *

 

The cry of a bird woke Tallon an hour or so later. The sun was beginning to fall in the sky. Tallon ate another energy bar and drank a few sips of water before continuing her ascend. “I will best you,” she said softly, running her hands along the mountain side before grabbing a nearby handhold.

* * *

 

She rolled herself onto another ledge as the sun was getting low in the sky, glancing at the last leg of her journey. She drank the last of her water bottle and switched it out for a third, taking small sips from it as she calculated the rest of her climb. She was only 15 or so meters from the top, where it flattened out enough to walk around rather than climb. Even now, what had started as an almost 90 degree slope has mellowed out into more of a 45-50 degree slope.

Tallon pushed herself up and readjusted her bag. She would best this mountain, especially if it would kill her.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another update. Sorry Tallon and I are progressing so slowly to the Underground. She did warn that it would take a few days for her trip (though I guess we shouldn't have meant it literally heh)  
> Thank you so much for reading. Have any comments, concerns, questions? Leave them below and I'll gladly get around to them eventually.  
> -JM


	4. The Fall

The ground began to flatten out as Tallon climbed the last few feet. She collapsed, panting, and took off her bag. She rolled on her back to catch her breath, staring up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set. Tallon sat up, pulling her camera from her bag, and snapped a few shots of the sky. The yellows fading into pinks, bleeding into purples, darkening into blues and blacks...

Tallon let out a joyful cry that she'd made it in one piece.

While leaning against her bag, she surveyed her surroundings. It was mostly flat where she was but hilly off in the distance. In between herself and the hills was a large hole. Once she could move her limbs again, Tallon began unpacking a sleeping bag and her fire starter kit. While there were several trees nearby that would make great cover for the eno, she was too tired to climb any of them and tie it up.

She hummed as she worked, old songs that she and her friends would sing at the top of their lungs at school dances, in their parents cars on the way to the mall, while chatting over the phone or playing in the park. She thought of the boys she used to like, how they've all found someone that was perfect for them while leaving her awkward and alone. She thought of her father, then quickly put him in the back of her mind and, instead, thought of her mother. Tallon felt guilty for never confiding in her, for always lying about still talking to her friends, to avoiding her by going to far away gyms. Tallon always felt that, if they didn't have a very close relationship, maybe when she disappeared it wouldn't hurt her as much. It would just be a climbing accident, nothing planned, nothing uncommon. Something she could move on from.

When Tallon got a small fire going, she took out her last bottle of water and filled a little pot, pouring in the last of her rice packets and a small can of chicken. It wasn't much of a meal, but it's quick to prepare and good for traveling. Tallon watched the stars twinkle as it cooked. The stars had always fascinated her. The stories each region associated with them, the vastness of space that they prove, the idea that what is seen is actually thousands of years old, and that it would most likely be gone if not for how slow time moved over long distances.

The moon was a sliver tonight. It gave off enough light for Tallon to wander around her makeshift campsite before going to sleep. She'd walked towards the hole but was compelled to stay away from it. Something seemed to reach in and hold her soul back, keeping her feet rooted where she stood, a few meters away from the opening. She felt tired. She turned her back to the hole, the grip on her soul loosening, and went to sleep.

* * *

The sun was up by the time Tallon crawled out of her sleeping bag. She stretched, she explored, she avoided the opening. Something kept holding her back. Tallon rummaged around in her bag, finding her phone near the bottom. She turned it on, noticing several messages from her mother and a few friends wishing her a happy birthday. She made a quick post about making it to the top of the mountain, posting a quick selfie of herself near the edge of the cliff, which showed how far her climb was.

Her mother commented almost immediately with clear signs of relief. She always worried about the harder trails and climbs. Tallon made a general post, thanking everyone for their birthday wishes and told them she would be turning her phone back off to explore, that she'd try to be home by the end of the week.

It was a hollow promise, but one she always made. If she didn't make it again this year, then it wouldn't come off as a climbing accident when she disappeared, right? Tallon turned her phone off and placed it in her bag. She rolled up her sleeping bag and packed everything away. She walked around the hole and wandered around the hilly area. She took a few pictures, noticing that this side of the mountain was more of a steep hike rather than a dangerous climb. It was tempting to just start walking home, to actually do what she'd vaguely promised to do and return home. But she thought of what she was returning to, her blank walls, her lack of close friends, her thoughts...

She turned to the hole, for once not feeling held back. She tightened her bag around her, took a running start...

...and jumped in.

It was never about the climb.

It was always

about

the F A L L . . .

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, off to Neverla-  
> Oh wait. Wrong fandom haha  
> From here on out it'll be more familiar territory.  
> Hope you're enjoying the ride so far. Any comments, questions, concerns? Leave them bellow and I'll get around to helping you out.  
> -JM


	5. Toriel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait...I've had a few things going on. Plus I'm still deciding where I want this story to go. Anyway, enjoy...

_ Time To Wake Up. _

Her eyes opened. Tallon was sprawled on top of a bed of flowers. Around her was a ring of light, pouring in from the opening above. Outside of her resting place was darkness.

She was alive.

She felt numb inside. She wanted to be angry, or even sad. Years of planning and training for a trip she wasn't supposed to come back from...

...and yet here she was – alive and, for the most part, well. Tallon rolled from her stomach to her side, unlatching her bag as she sat up. She tucked her knees to her chest and curled into a ball. _What do I do with myself now? I was supposed to be dead, not trapped under a damn mountain._ She looked up towards the small glimmer of light, squinting. _I could probably climb back out and...what? Try again? Go home? Pretend I didn't try to commit suicide?_

Tallon sat in the puddle of light, her head tucked in her knees, trying to decide her next move.

_ Rest. _

She fell asleep.

* * *

 

“Oh my...that's certainly never happened before,” a gentle voice woke Tallon up.

“Hello? Is someone out there?” Tallon reached for her pocket knife.

“Hello, my child. You seem to have fallen a great height. Are you alright?” The voice was warm, lulling Tallon into a sense of security. She nodded. The voice continued, “My name is Toriel. Here, let me help you up.” Toriel finally stepped into the ring of light, her hand out. She was tall...and a goat? A human child was peaking around her dress.

_ It's Rude To Stare. Now Introduce Yourself. _

“Um...hello. I'm Tallon...” She accepted Toriel's outstretched hand. “I don't mean to be rude but...what are you,” she asked once she was standing.

Toriel replied, “I'm the caretaker of the Ruins, my child.” The child giggled, pulling on her dress and shaking her head. “Oh!” Toriel patted their head and smiled, turning back to Tallon. “I'm sorry, you mean my form, not position. I'm a monster, though do not expect anything wicked from me,” she winked, “unless you believe pie is evil?”

Tallon couldn't help herself. She laughed. It was unexpected, given the situation. Her failed attempt at suicide, the stories about monsters lurking under the mountain, a strange voice muttering in her ear. It was too much.

Toriel smiled patiently and waited for Tallon to collect herself. She'd seen many reactions to the news of monsters being real, and it's not the first time she's been met with hysterical laughter. She ruffled the child's hair and nudged them forward.

Tallon wiped her eyes, bending down to be closer to the child's eye level. “Hello,” she said, holding out a hand for them to shake.

They hesitated before shaking her hand. “Hi...” Their voice was quiet, as if rarely used. “You'll get used to them,” they said, nodding back towards Toriel. “I've been here a week and it's not so bad!”

Toriel laughed.

“I'm Frisk!” They were young, with dark brown hair and a stripped shirt. They continued to hold your hand.

“Hello, Frisk.”

_ Trust Them. _

“Come, my children. I must patrol the rest of the Ruins. Frisk, do you think you can show Miss Tallon the way home? I'll meet you there as soon as I can.” With that, Toriel left.

_ Let Them Be Your Guide. _

Tallon made sure to retrieve her bag, tightening the straps around her shoulders and waist. “Where to, kiddo?”

They hesitated, glancing towards her before saying,“Home first...that bag looks heavy...” Frisk took her hand and walked her through a few hallways, showing her how to work the puzzles in each room. “Monsters really like puzzles,” they said, “probably because it makes the Underground more interesting. They've been down here for a long time...” They looked guilty suddenly, before ushering her into the next room.

Tallon followed, admiring the intricate mechanics behind some of the puzzles, and listening to Frisk describe the different types of monsters they've encountered. Tallon bumped into a Loox, felt something tug at something deep within her...

The tugging stopped. Nothing happened.

The Loox seemed confused, but at the same time glad. It turned to Frisk, “Please don't pick on me...” it mumbled, looking down at the ground and kicking it's feet.

Frisk rolled their eyes and pulled Tallon along. They were just as confused as Loox was at Tallon's inability to be pulled into battles. They began running into monsters on purpose, seeing if any of them could pull at her soul.

* * *

“Is Toriel's home much further?” Tallon asked, feeling tired. Frisk looked guilty again, though this time for more obvious reasons. _They're a child, they want to show off the new friend with the older ones_ , she reasoned. They led her to a small side room where spider webs were draped across the walls.

“Two spider ciders, please?” Frisk placed a handful of gold coins on the larger web. Several spiders crawled down, gathering the coins and saying a collected “Thank you!” before bringing down two small jugs. Frisk hands one to Tallon, “Here,” they say, “this will help you feel better.”

_ Trust Them. _

If Tallon had learned anything from the last few hours, it's that she should just listen to this kid. She took a sip of the drink, eyeing the sign mentioning that “All proceeds go to real spiders”. _It's decent_ , she thought, _maybe too...sticky sweet for my taste but it's better than nothing._ “Thanks, kid.”

After that, Frisk led them to Toriel's home. Toriel was outside, raking leaves into a pile under a naked tree. “Good evening, children. I see you've finally found the house.” She gave Frisk a stern look. “I was very surprised to see that I had returned before you, though your instructions were to come straight home.”

Frisk looked at the ground, mimicking the Loox with his foot. “I'm sorry, mom...” Toriel's face softened at the name. “I was showing Tallon around the Ruins...”

“It is alright, my child. Please, show her inside. You will be sharing your room.”

The house was simple, clean...homey. It had high ceilings and wide doorways, making Tallon smile at the thought of Toriel trying to fit into her mother's house. Frisk led her to their room, “Mom must have brought in a bed for you already,” they said. “I've been sleeping on the one beside the window but you can pick which one you want...”

Tallon ruffled Frisk's hair. “Don't worry, kid. I won't steal your bed. That one over there is fine.” With that, Tallon set down her bag and threw herself on her new bed.

“You can rest before dinner, if you want...” Tallon looked over to see Frisk holding the door as if they were about to leave. “I'll come wake you up when it's ready.” They were gone, the door was closed, and Tallon was very, very tired...

_ Rest. There Is Time... _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well! There's the new chapter. Finally in the underground. Frisk has beaten Tallon there by only a week. You'll notice that Tallon does not encounter Flowey, and that her soul cannot be called out for battle. Those two things are actually what started my interest in her, though originally she was supposed to a shameless self-insert so that I could be with sans. But, as I worked on her, she began to become her own person.  
> Also: the voice in her head is not the Reader, nor is it the Writer.  
> Comments, questions, concerns? Suggestions? Leave it below and I'll get to it when I can.  
> -JM


	6. Frisk..?

She was floating ~~_(Standing? Sitting?)_~~ in an open space ( ~~ _VOID_~~ ). Everywhere she looked was dark. As she stared the room seemed to get _darker_ , though it seemed impossible to her. It became darker still, _The Darkness Kept Growing, The Shadows Cutting Deeper_...

Tallon was afraid.

The darkness retreated, seeming to fold in on itself until it manifested into the bed of flowers that she had been on earlier that day. _Was everything a dream? Did I even meet Toriel or Frisk?_ Tallon sat up, listening. Something felt different about the room. The darkness seemed thicker, almost sinister. She wrote it off as nerves. She stood, grabbed her bag, and began following the directions that her dreams had given her, if that's what they truly were.

She made it through several puzzles that were already completed. She was surprised. Frisk mentioned that Toriel would reset the puzzles any time they have been set off, so why were so many left completed? She felt chills run up her spine. Everything was so quiet. As she and Frisk had traveled through the Ruins, she had commented about a gentle humming she could hear.

“ _That's the Monster's SOULs,” Frisk explained. “Mom said that when enough SOULs are gathered in one area, they...” their head tilted, their face scrunched up, trying to remember her exact wording. “...they resonate!” Frisk was very pleased they had remembered the word. “And when Monster SOULs resonate, humans perceive it as music. Similar SOULs create a specific type of music. The Monsters in the Ruins all have similar SOULs, so their music all sounds the same._

Tallon heard nothing. She passed no Monsters as she made her way towards Toriel's home.

* * *

 

Toriel and Frisk were in the yard when Tallon found her way through the Ruins. Frisk was waving around a toy knife, and Toriel was raking the leaves near the tree. She looked up as Tallon entered her line of sight, gasping. “Oh! I did not know another human had fallen down so soon after Frisk! My child, are you alright?” She set down her rake and extended her hand. “I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins.”

Tallon shook her hand, as she had in her dream, and smiled. “I'm Tallon.” She noticed that Toriel seemed more guarded, keeping Frisk in her sights even as she led Tallon towards the house.

“Please, come inside. I'm making snail pie! Oh...” Toriel paused in the doorway, turning back, “Frisk?” Frisk came skipping towards the house, a big smile on their face. The toy knife was nowhere to be seen. Tallon was led to the living room. “Stay here a moment while I ready a room for you,” Toriel comanded, giving Frisk a quick glance before leaving the room.

“Hello, Frisk.” Tallon turned towards the child. Noticing that their clothes seemed to be covered in a layer of dust that she didn't recognize from her dream.

They stared at her, smiling. They were a lot creepier than she remembered...

Toriel came rushing back, letting out a sigh of relief when she saw Frisk where she left them. _Weird..._ Tallon followed her to her room, passing the one she had been offered earlier and, instead, brought into Toriel's own room. A spare bed had been placed opposite hers. “There's also some space for you in the closet, should you need it.”

Tallon thanked her, setting her bag down in front of her new bed. It was the same one she thought she had fallen asleep on.

“You may rest, if you so wish. The pie will be ready soon. I will wake you.” Toriel patted her head and began to close the door. She hesitated. “A word of caution,” she was looking at the ground, her eyes weary, “do not let Frisk out of your sight if you are ever left alone with them. They...do not know how to play nicely. They can get a little rough.” She shook her head, her face returning to the pleasant smile that Tallon remembered. “But do not let the worries of an old woman frighten you. They are a child, and do not know better. Please, rest.”

Tallon was confused. She was also tired. She considered her options, take a nap and not worry about the ominous warning for a while, or hunt down Toriel and figure out what the hell is going on. She yawned, the first option sounded better after the day she'd had, so she laid down in the bed and fell asleep.

* * *

 

_ Time To Wake Up. _

Tallon sat up with a start. She looked around the room, recognizing it as Frisk's, rather than Toriel's, and laid back down. _Just what the hell was that?_

A cautious knock caused Tallon to jump. Frisk opened the door, “Time to wa-oh. You're already awake.” Frisk smiled, “the cinnamon-butterscotch pie is ready!”

Tallon rubbed her face, “Thanks kid, I'll be right there.” Frisk left the door cracked. A sliver of light highlighted their bed across from her. She sat up, brushing tangles out of her hair with her fingers. “The hell...?”

_ We Will Discuss What You Saw Later. For Now, Go And Enjoy A Warm Meal And Good Company. _

“Who the hell is talking?” She looked around the room for the source of the voice. Tallon sighed in exasperation. She was the only one in the room.

_ Please, I Will Explain Later. _

Throwing the blankets off herself, Tallon got out of bed. “Fine, yeah. I'm too hungry to argue with a disembodied voice anyway.” She made her way to the kitchen, pulling her hair into a messy bun. The house smelled amazing. It was warm, homey. Tallon had never heard of cinnamon-butterscotch pie but if it tasted anything like it smelled, then it would probably become her new favorite dish.

* * *

 “So what do you do, as the caretaker,” Tallon asked around a mouthful of pie. It was absolutely delicious, reminding her of caramel sweets her mom used to buy her as a treat after school.

Toriel smiled, topping off everyone's tea. “I simply walk the Ruins, tidying up, checking on the Monsters, providing for them anything they might need, and I calibrate the puzzles if they are completed, of course.” She ruffled Frisk's hair affectionately, “Which seems to be happening more often lately, but I don't mind.”

“How long have you been here?”

“The Underground or the Ruins, my child?” Her face is despondent suddenly, her mouth a thin line.

Tallon blushed, “Oh um...I'm sorry I didn't...sorry...” She pushed her empty plate away, sinking in her seat. “I didn't mean to open any old wounds...”

Frisk patted her hand, smiling. “They've been Underground for a long time. Mom has been in the Ruins for most of that time.”

Tallon was curious about how old that would make her host, but decided against asking. Frisk was fidgeting in their chair. “Looks like someone has some pent up energy to get rid of, hey kid?” Frisk hesitated, glancing at her, before nodding. “Well, I wouldn't mind looking around some more now that I've rested some. How about it?” Tallon raised her eyebrow, resting her elbow on the table before leaning her cheek against it.

Frisk jumped out of their seat before tugging on Toriel's dress. “Can I mom?”

Toriel seemed pleased with her title, nodding her head. “Alright, little one. But do be careful? Take some pie for the journey.” She handed them two plates, but when Tallon blinked they had vanished.

“What the h-”

“Language,” Toriel snapped, cutting off Tallon's swear.

Tallon stood, stacking the plates on the table. “Sorry, ma'am.” She ruffled Frisk's hair as she headed towards their room. “Let me get a few things from my bag, then we can go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's another chapter. I've finally figured out how I want it to progress, for the most part. If it seems confusing I'm sorry, you can suggest ways for me to make it more obvious what is going on. Official explinations will be given in the next chapter or so.  
> Any questions, comments, concerns? Just want to chat? Leave it below and I'll get to it asap.  
> -JM


	7. Blue Child

Frisk had cleared her some space in the closet for her clothes, which weren't the clothes she remembered bringing. All of her shirts were suddenly stripped, rather than the solid colors she had packed from home. She shrugged, changing into a cream short sleeved shirt (the ruins were on the cool side, but nothing she can't handle) with gray stripes and a maroon pocket.

She ran a hand along the maroon neckline. It was comfortable, and had a shirt pocket. “This was green when I packed it...”

Frisk tugged on her shirt, “How old are you?” She informed them that she just turned 18. They nodded, “The Underground is full of extra magic. Monster children have to wear stripes, and because we're both young for monsters, we have to wear stripes too.”

Tallon nodded, “So that's why all of my shirts have changed...” Frisk nodded. She changed into a pair of jeans, throwing a few items back into her bag while leaving the rest on the bed, and followed Frisk out of the room.

* * *

 

Tallon kept her camera out as they traveled through the Ruins. Snapping a few pictures of the different monsters as Frisk interacted with them. They were all so playful, so alive. She thought of her dream and shook her head, snapping a photo of Frisk wiggling with a Moldsmal. _Was even was that dream? It felt so real..._

“Tallon!” Frisk had ran on ahead, leading her back towards the four roomed puzzle. She ran to catch up to them, laughing. While the puzzles were simple, they were rather fun to complete. And now that they were doing them backwards it was a little more challenging.

Frisk flew through it with an ease Tallon felt she would soon gain, should she stay stay in the Ruins for as long as they do. They'd mentioned that they would need to move on soon, but they were enjoying their time with their mother before leaving.

As they came to the room with the six hidden rooms, Tallon saw something near the far corner. It was a child, somewhere between her own age and Frisk's, with a red ribbon tied in their hair. They were wandering too close to the loose ground. “Watch out!” Tallon avoided the other drops and ran to stop the child, falling down the hole with them in the process.

She could hear Frisk's cry of concern from above. “I'm alright! I landed on the leaves...” Tallon was alone in the room. “What the...”

“There should be a little chute for you to climb on the wall, it leads back to this room,” Frisk called down.

Tallon picked up the ribbon on the floor, the one she had seen in the child's hair, and climbed up to the room above.

Frisk ran to her, checking her over. “I'm fine, kid, honest.”

“Who were you talking to before running into the trap?” Frisk looked confused.

Tallon frowned. “Didn't you see a child about to fall in? I was...” Frisk was shaking their head, “trying to help...them...” She held out the faded ribbon, “They were wearing this when I saw them, but when I fell down it was on the ground and I didn't see anyone there.”

Frisk was looking towards the hole now, their head tilted. “I've...never seen anyone else until you.” They take the ribbon from her, looking it over. “But I have seen this before. I just didn't think to take it with me.” They smile, “Would you mind if I kept it? It's a good armor. Better than this used band-aid I found when I first fell...” They turned to show a little red band-aid on the back of their calf.

“I...don't want to know, do I?” Tallon and Frisk laugh. She helps tie the ribbon into their hair, taking a picture of it for them to see. As Frisk shook the photo, they began walking again. “Did you say there were spider donuts too?” Tallon glanced towards the spider bake sale sign.

Frisk nodded, handing her the photo to put in her bag. “You probably need one after that fall.”

* * *

 

After a quick snack with the little spiders, Tallon and Frisk began to make their way back to Toriel's. Frisk was getting tired, holding onto Tallon's hand and falling behind every few steps.

Toriel was there to great them at the door, picking up the child and taking them to their bed. Tallon followed, feeling tired herself, and watched Toriel tuck Frisk in.

“Shall I tuck you in as well, my child?” Toriel turned to her, giving her a fond smile.

“Oh no, I'm alright.” Tallon blushed, crawling into the bed and pulling the covers up to her shoulders. “See? I'm fine.” Tallon's eyes went wide as Toriel placed a kiss on her forehead.

“Sleep well, children.”

“Goodnight, mama,” Frisk mumbled, rolling towards the wall.

“Goodnight, Miss Toriel...” Tallon nuzzled into the pillow before closing her eyes.

* * *

 

Tallon was following Frisk back to the flower patch that they'd fallen on, something they seemed to do every other day. She knew the route perfectly now, even wandering away from Frisk from time to time to talk with a couple monsters along the way.

It has been a week, and all the monsters have taken a liking to her, greeting her only with friendly chit chat rather than battles.

She'd finally met Napstablook, a ghost that wanders the halls when he wants to get away from his home. It made her curious about the places far beyond the Ruins, but any time she asked Toriel what lies beyond the Ruins, she would prattle on facts about snails instead.

The voice that had guided her on her first day has been quiet, seemingly avoiding her after the dream she had her first night...

“Tallon?” Frisk was tugging on her shirt, pulling her away from the loose ground. She'd almost wandered into a trap.

“Sorry, kid. I was just thinking...” Tallon ruffled their hair and continued walking. “We checking the flower bed today?”

Frisk nodded, taking her hand.

* * *

 

Frisk visiting with a Frogget outside of an unfamilar area near Toriel's home. Tallon chatted for a bit, sitting on the ground with Frisk in her lap so that they could be more eye-level with the monster. A familiar blue figure ran beside her, skipping through the doorway to her right. She jumped up, almost dropping Frisk onto the Frogget and stared into the dark opening.

“Tallon?”

“Where does that lead?” She nodded towards the doorway.

Frisk glanced towards it, shrugging. “The rest of the Ruins. This is just the upper level, which is one of the safest levels because of Toriel. Only selected monsters can live on this level in case a human child falls, she does not wish them harm.

Tallon nodded, entering the new location slowly...

It was a balcony, of sorts, overlooking beautiful buildings that spanned for miles it seemed. Tallon knew it was nothing compared to the Surface, but it felt massive compared to the small section of the Ruins she'd been walking for the past week.

It was beautiful.

It was empty.

The blue figure was gone again, though Tallon noticed a toy knife left on the ground near the wall. Frisk was keeping their distance from it, but offered for Tallon to keep it. “Just so no one else can get hurt with it,” Frisk reasoned. They still wore the ribbon she'd found last time the figure had led her astray.

She stowed the toy knife in her bag and they headed home.

* * *

 

“Time for bed, children.” Toriel smiled, following them into their room and helping Frisk into bed. “Sleep well.” She kissed both of their foreheads and left, closing the door behind her.

Frisk was asleep in moments, their breathing slow and easy. Tallon had found that they usually had no trouble falling asleep, but staying asleep? That was another issue. They often napped during the day depending on how often they woke up during the night. She guessed that they had nightmares but they were such a quiet child, they wouldn't talk about them.

_ Their Troubles Are Their Own, Do Not Worry About them. _

_Long time no hear,_ Tallon thought, smiling as she began to fall asleep. She had begun to worry something had happened to her companion...

_ Do Not Worry About Me, Either. I Will Come And Go As You Need Me. Now, Rest. _

She fell asleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, though I'm shocked anyone is haha. I'm kinda starting to feel that it's too choppy? Maybe I should give up on the third person? I dunno. I don't like First, and it's not really an experience for second. Oh well. Anyway!  
> Any questions, comments, concerns? Just want to chat? Leave it below and I'll get to it asap.  
> -JM


	8. Dust

She was floating again, though now she knew what to expect from the darkness. It shifted around her, pulling her further in until...

Tallon opened her eyes, Frisk was smiling down at her, their eyes wide and head tilted. She threw a hand across her mouth to stop herself from screaming.

“Good, you're awake. It's time to leave...” Frisk pulled Tallon's covers to the ground and backed away. “It's cold in the next location, do you have anything warm?”

Tallon nodded, moving slowly to her bag. She found a long sleeved shirt, the body was striped with gray and blue while the arms were gray and purple, and her thicker sweatpants. She kept an eye on the kid while looking for her beanie.

“I'll leave so you can change. Meet me downstairs when you're done. There's one more thing I have to do...” Frisk giggled, causing a chill to run down Tallon's spine. They skipped out of the room, closing the door.

Tallon changed quickly, suddenly very scared of the kid she'd been laughing with just hours before. She didn't see the toy knife in her bag, but she did find the faded ribbon. She remembered Frisk...the other Frisk?...talk about how it would help with defense. She tied her hair into a bun, wrapping the ribbon around her hair, before tucking it under her beanie.

She heard yelling. She grabbed her bag, closing it and throwing it onto her back as she ran down the stairs. She and Frisk had never been down here, per Toriel's request. The hall was long and, as she ran, became colder and colder...

She could hear Toriel's voice, “Y...you...really hate me that much?” There was only giggling in response. Tallon turned a corner. Toriel continued, “Now I see who I was protecting by keeping you here...” Tallon stopped when she came through the doorway. She could not believe her eyes.

Toriel and Frisk were battling. Toriel was covered in scratches, trickles of dust already fluttering away from the edges of the wounds. Frisk was smiling, the toy knife dangling from their hand. Tallon tried to catch her breath, holding back tears. Toriel hadn't noticed her. “Not you...” Toriel smiled then, “but them!” She fell to a knee, holding a hand to her heart. “ha...ha...” her body disintegrated into dust.

A pure white soul, turned upside down, floated towards Tallon. It bobbed in front of her, and she heard a distant “my child...” before it shattered before her eyes. She felt tears running down her cheeks and dripping off her chin.

“Wipe your tears, you don't want your face to be wet when we enter the next area.” Frisk was now in front of her, smiling again.

Tallon found a spare shirt in her bag and began cleaning her face, blowing her nose before readjusting her bag. Frisk touched the back of her hand, “It was the only way she'd let us leave...”

Tallon nodded. She didn't know if she believed them, but what's done is done...they could only move on from here. They walked through the door.

It opened to another long hallway. The temperature dropped steadily as they walked. They passed under an archway leading to a small patch of grass. Frisk paused in front of it, waiting. Tallon was about to question them when a small flower popped out of the ground.

Frisk continued to smile, "Flowey."

“Wow, you're utterly repulsive.” Flowey's smiling face shifting into a mock of Toriel's. “You spared her life...then you decided that just wasn't interesting enough for you.” It shifted again, the smile too wide for her face, making it more grotesque. “So you murdered her just to see what would happen.” It became too large for it's peddles, grinning madly. “You killed her out of boredom. Hee hee...” It's eyes became deeper, darker, it's smile jagged.

Tallon stopped listening to his little speech, her stomach twisting into knots. She felt sick. _Did_ _Frisk really killed her out of boredom? They said it was the only way, but could they have lied?_

Flowey's dark whisper drew her attention again. “I'll be watching.” It's face became too large for it's petals, creating a large menacing face. It's eyes were dark, it's smile large and grotesque. It laughed, a high pitched, squeal of a laugh. Tallon covered her ears and turned away.

Frisk just continued to stand there, smiling. Flowey morphed back into it's original happy smile and slipped back into the ground. Tallon felt exhausted even though she'd just woken up. She was emotionally drained and about to collapse.

Frisk frowned at her, and Tallon was glad to see a different expression on their face. “You need to rest. Go back to bed, I'll get us more spider products to take with us.” Frisk was back to smiling as they turned to walk back to the Ruins. “Sleep well.”

Tallon didn't know if she ever would again.

She walked back to Toriel's room as quickly as she could. She hesitated in the doorway, drawn towards Toriel's book of jokes. She read a few entries, running a finger along the pages as her eyes filled with tears. She curled up in Toriel's bed, rather than her own, crying herself to sleep on Toriel's pillow.

* * *

 

Tallon bolted up. A hand was on hovering above her. It was large and white and...

“Toriel!” Tallon threw her arms around the monster's neck.

Toriel was shocked by the reaction but wrapped her arms around her, “Good morning, my child. Did I frighten you?” She began stroking her hair, nuzzling her cheek affectionately.

Tallon shook her head, pulling away from Toriel. “Just...just had a bad dream...” She was blushing now, flustered that she'd reacted so strongly to seeing her new goat mom alive and well. “I'm alright now, thank you.”

Toriel cooed sympathetically, “Of course, my child. Do not be embarrassed by your fears. Acknowledge them, and realize that, right now, you are alright.” She smiled, patted Tallon's head, and moved to wake Frisk. “Right now, today, you are alive. You are healthy. You can see the beauty of the Ruins, you can hear the song of it's people.” She paused, helping a sleepy Frisk untangle from their sheets. “You are loved.” Toriel turned to face her again.

Tallon's mouth was open, her eyes filled with tears. Her heart was being squeezed inside her chest. She felt a tear run down her cheek and she began to shake. Frisk joined her on her bed, wrapping their little arms around her shoulders. “You can let go,” they mumbled into her hair. “We are here for you.”

Tallon cried. For the first time in years, she let herself feel. Her hate for her father, her love for her mother, her happiness with her friends, her anger at herself for pushing them all away...

_ The Road To Recovery Is A Long And Grueling Process. It Takes Time. It Takes Patience. It Will Take Everything You Have, And You Will Often Be Unwilling To Give Yourself Away. But You Will, And You Will Move Forward. You Will Thrive. _

“Thank you...” Tallon whispered to all of them. She would get through this. The Underground was just a stepping stone. She would right her wrongs once they were all back on the surface.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the positive feedback! I'm sure it's apparent with this chapter, but this is mostly for those fans who came into this game with some regrets and fears and found ways to move past them with the help of these characters. You'll see several instances of in-game dialogue but I'll also have motivational quotes and speeches from so many other places to give the characters more wisedom than the game has time to show. I'll try to keep it as in-character as I can, so please, enjoy.  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Post below and I'll answer asap.


	9. Time to Go

“I will be checking on the flowers today. Please, stay close by the house today, my children.” Toriel stroked both of their heads before leaving them alone in their room.

Frisk slid off of Tallon's bed, closing their door. They hesitated, their head bowed low, before turning to face Tallon. “I...”

Tallon felt tense again. She had a feeling she knew what they wanted to suggest. Visions of her dream flooded her mind. Frisk's malicious smile. Toriel turning to dust...her soul shattering.

“...allon? Tallon!” Frisk was in front of her, hands on her shoulders. “Are...are you okay?” She nodded. “Were...were you listening?” She shook her head. Frisk hesitated again, glancing at the door. “Um...well...I was thinking and...I've been here for almost a month...and it's...”

“It's time to move on.” Tallon filled in. She took a deep breath, “Do we have to kill Toriel...?”

Frisk paled at the idea. “No! No of course not! We don't have to k-kill anyone!” Frisk was shaking, suddenly just as scared as Tallon had been earlier.

She pulled them into a hug, smiling. “Good...” she said, “good...I don't want to hurt anyone either, kid. I just...well, my nightmare shook me up pretty badly I guess...” They hugged for several minutes, both squeezing a bit too tightly in order to calm down.

“Mom's going to be at the flower bed for a while, today is a weeding day.” Frisk pulled away, going to the door, “I don't want to leave without telling her...” They smiled, “I'll go get us some spider products to take with us!”

Tallon laughed, “Alright. I'll get my bag ready while you're gone.”

* * *

 

Tallon was still sitting on her bed, her bag, empty, tossed on the ground in front of her. Her things were strewn across the bed to her side. She was holding the toy knife, her hands shaking slightly.

_ I'm Sorry For What I've Caused You To See. _

Tallon nodded. She pulled her bag into her lap, placing the toy knife at the very bottom before repacking all of her climbing gear.

_ Much Of That You Wont Need For Your Journey. It Is Best You Leave It Here. _

Tallon paused, “It's expensive equipment. Will I be able to get it back?”

There was a pause. _If All Goes Well, Then Yes. You Will Get It Back._

Tallon still hesitated.

_ The Odds Are In Your Favor. _

The reference made her smile, even if the voice didn't know what it had done. She repacked her bag, leaving the more specialized hiking gear, keeping the ropes and her harness (for emergencies), consulting with the voice about how much of her clothes she pack. They agreed to take all of it, only because of the “different weather patterns” throughout the Underground. Tallon hadn't realized that an _underground_ location could have “weather patterns” at all, but listened to the voice's advice.

* * *

 

“Toriel is by the fireplace. Do you want to come tell her with me? I can do it alone if you'd like...” Frisk had a hand on the doorknob, watching Tallon.

She thought it over, fiddling with the straps on her bag. “I'll...I'll wait here...” Frisk nodded, understanding. They gave her a small wave before exiting, leaving the door cracked open.

Tallon already felt horrible for not going with them.

_ Not Confronting Her With Frisk Does Not Make You A Coward. You Just Watched Her Die, Do You Really Want To See Her React To You Both Wishing To Leave? _

Now Tallon was feeling bad about leaving her...

_ You Cannot Move Forward By Staying Still. _

_You're right..._ , Tallon sighed. _It's time to go. We've stayed long enough._

There was stomping in the hallway. It slowly faded as though...

Frisk burst through the door. “Mom is about to do something drastic. She said something about destroying the exit...”

“We have to stop her.”

Tallon felt a rush of _déjà vu_ as she ran out of the room, throwing her bag on her back as she went. She glanced back at Frisk, only a step behind her, and smiled at their concerned face. This was not the Frisk of her dreams...

_ Set Your Fears Aside. Toriel Will Be Safe In Frisk's Care Here. _

* * *

 

They found Toriel in front of a large set of doors. She looked sad. “Do you two really wish to leave so badly?” Her features hardened. “There is only one solution to this. Prove yourselves...” She took a breath, squaring her shoulders. “Prove to me you are strong enough to survive.”

Tallon felt something reach into her, trying to pull her SOUL out, **but it refused**. Toriel frowned at her, the battle only engaging Frisk. “So. The rumors are true, your SOUL cannot be summoned in battles. There is a strong magic keeping it within you...” She seemed both annoyed and pleased by this fact. It meant that Tallon would be safe from magical attacks from the monsters outside of the Ruins, but that still left Frisk vulnerable.

She turned to her smaller child, waving her hand. A wave of fireballs began swirling around them. Frisk did their best to dodge them, getting singed by a few. They seemed to be thinking of something to say to her.

Tallon, unable to participate in the battle, could only watch off to the side. She watched as Toriel pretended not to care for Frisk, throwing row after row of fire at them. Between dodges Frisk tried to SPARE Toriel. She seemed angered by that fact.

After watching Frisk dodge, spare, dodge, spare, dodge, spare...Tallon was starting to get anxious. Frisk's health was getting low. Toriel's attacks didn't seem to be lightening up. “Toriel!” she called, “We don't want to fight you! We just want to go home!”

She must have noticed Frisk's health too; her attacks began to fly past the child, allowing Frisk to catch their breath. They tried to SPARE her again. Toriel growled, “Attack or run away!” SPARE. “What are you proving this way?” She began to look sad. SPARE. “Fight me or leave!” SPARE. “Stop it.” Frisk began to step closer to her, still keeping a distance from her attacks. SPARE. “Stop looking at me that way...” Another step. SPARE. “Get away...” She seemed to be shaking now. Her attacks slowing down. Frisk was close enough to reach out and touch her, but didn't. SPARE. “...I know you want to go home, but...”

Her attacks stopped. Frisk tilted their head. “But please...go upstairs now.” Tallon stepped forward. Toriel looked between the two of them. “I've done so well at taking care of you, have I not? I promise to continue to do so...” Tallon stopped behind Frisk, resting a hand on their shoulder. “I know we do not have much, but...we could have a good life here.”

“Toriel-” Tallon started, but Toriel cut her off. “Why are you making this so difficult? Please, just go upstairs.” She frowned, her eyes filled with tears. She began to laugh. “Pathetic, is it not? I cannot save the children I have claimed as my own...”

“You have saved us.” Frisk laid a hand on her arm.

Toriel smiled for a moment, “Do not lie to an old woman.” She sighed. “No, I understand. You would just be unhappy trapped down here. The Ruins are very small once you get used to them. You should not have to grow up in a place like this. My expectations...my loneliness...my fear...” she placed a hand on their shoulders. “For you, my children, I will put them aside.” The battle was over.

“If you truly wish to leave the Ruins, I will not stop you. However, once you exit these doors...” She dropped her hands to her side, “Please do not come back.” Tallon felt as though something had punched her in the stomach. “I hope you understand.” They nodded, both about to cry. She pulled them into a hug, squeezing them til it hurt. They held onto her just as tightly, knowing that, once they let go, they might not see her again.

“Goodbye, my children...” Toriel gave each of them a kiss on the forehead and let them go. Frisk was crying. Tallon felt so cold without her arms around her...

Toriel left them, casting one last glance before walking back down the long hallway.

Frisk took Tallon's hand. “Are you ready?”

Tallon was looking back. “Could I...”

“Go.” Frisk smiled, wiping their eyes. “Tell her I love her. I'll scout up ahead.”

Tallon set her bag by the door and ran. She took the stairs two at a time, barely taking the time to close the door to Toriel's house behind her before taking off again. She hadn't ran like this in years, but if climbing had done anything, it taught her how to keep breathing no matter how much she strained herself.

She flew through the puzzles, having gone through them often enough to avoid any of the more dangerous ones without breaking her stride. If she'd had the breath, she probably would have started calling for Toriel as she ran, but she knew better.

She found her at the flower bed, tears flowing down her muzzle as she watched the flowers. “Tor-” Tallon wheezed, finally stopping in front of her. She bent over, gasping for breath. “Tori-” She coughed a few times, berating herself for not bringing a spider cider with her.

Toriel chuckled, instantly calming Tallon down. Her breathing slowed, her mind stopped racing. When she straightened out Toriel placed a hand on her cheek. “Do not worry about me. Someone has to take care of these flowers.” She was smiling.

Tallon threw her arms around her neck, breathing in her scent. “Thank you...” she whispered, “for everything.”

Toriel hugged her back, “Maybe we'll meet again, and you'll have made many friends.” She laughed softly, stroking Tallon's hair. “Tell Frisk to stay determined as they grow...” Toriel pulled Tallon off, holding her at arms length. “And both of you must remember to love as you go through the Underground.”

“I love you.”

Toriel smiled. “And I love you. Share my love with Frisk.” She hesitated. “Please, be good, my child.”

Tallon nodded. She felt ready to move on. “Goodbye, Toriel.”

“Goodbye.”

* * *

 

Frisk was back at the door, waiting. “It gets colder as the halway goes...do you have anything warm to wear?”

Tallon held out a jacket and hat to Frisk. “Toriel mentioned the same thing,” she lied, “so I grabbed this from the closet for you. I have something in my bag.” They stood at opposite ends of the room, facing away from each other for privacy as they changed. She almost hesitated in wearing the outfit from her dream, but it was all she had and she remembered the hallway being very cold...

“Are you ready?” Frisk was by the door again.

“Let do this.” Tallon adjusted her beanie and took their hand.

They walked through the doors together.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know I JUST updated, but this chapter was really easy to write so I figured...hey, might as well, right?  
> Questions, Comments, Concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below and I'll get to you as soon as I can,  
> -JM


	10. Puns And Puzzles

It was cold.

Tallon wished she'd looked around for a jacket to bring for herself, but was glad she found one that fit Frisk well enough. She took her hair down, letting it cover her neck, and pulled her beanie over her ears. She kept one hand in her pocket, the other held Frisk's.

They were walking down a path with trees lining either side of it. There was no hum of music here, reminding Tallon of the dream ( ~~ _other timeline? Past timeline? Future timeline? Parallel timeline?_~~ ). Frisk ran ahead, pulling Tallon along. They stopped in front of a large branch. Tallon laughed as Frisk tried to pick it up. “That's too heavy for you to lift, kid.”

Frisk frowned, but moved on, climbing over it and waving their smaller stick around. Tallon stepped over the branch and followed, keeping her hands in her pockets and a short distance between them.

There was a loud snap from behind.

They both turned, seeing the branch now shattered to pieces. Frisk held on to Tallon's sleeve. Tallon began to feel anxious.

They kept moving.

Tallon began to feel as though they were being watched. She heard faint crunches in the snow, too far off to be their own, but when she glanced back there was nothing there. She kept Frisk from investigating. There was a bridge ahead of them, with large pillars across it. It was cute, but didn't make sense. As they drew near it, however, something reached out to their SOULs and held them still.

Frisk seemed calm about their situation, more curious than worried about their inability to move. Tallon was feeling claustrophobic. Something was closing in on them from behind, their steps getting louder, the weight almost crushing...

_ Breathe. You Are Safe. They Will Not Harm You. _

Tallon struggled through a deep breath.

“ _Human_.” A deep voice called from behind them. Frisk turned, slowly, fighting against whatever was holding them in place. There was a pause. Frisk looked over at Tallon, their head tilted. The weight holding her lightened up. She was too scared to move. “ _Don't you know how to greet a new pal?”_ The voice was focused towards her now. She was fighting to keep her breathing steady. “ _Turn around, and shake my hand..._ ”

Tallon began to turn, though she knew it wasn't of her own free will. The figure was shrouded in darkness, but Frisk did not seem afraid of it. It held out a hand. Tallon stared at it. Frisk glanced at Tallon before taking it.

A long, loud farting noise echoed through the woods. Tallon felt the fear evaporate from her system as Frisk began to laugh. The shadows left the figure, revealing it to be a short skeleton in a blue coat. It was laughing as well. The music that accompanied him was lively, and with that kind of opener, she could see it reflecting him being the _life_ of a party.

 _Ha. Ha._ If Tallon could see whoever the voice belonged too, she imagined them to be rolling their eyes now.

“heh, the old whoopee cushion in the hand trick...” It's voice was low, casual. Tallon felt put at ease. She'd always had a soft spot for lovely voices. The figure turned to Frisk, smile strained. “wait a sec...have you heard it before or something? you turned around before I said to...” Frisk looked away, scuffing their foot into the snow. They seemed to be avoiding the monster's eyes. “weird...” The skeleton turned to Tallon now, “...whatever. you're a human, right?”

“Um...yes. Yeah, we are.” Tallon placed a hand on Frisk's shoulder, holding them close to her side.

The monster nodded. “i'm sans. sans the skeleton. i'm actually supposed to be on the watch for humans right now.” Sans began to rock on his heels, still smiling. It almost reminded her of the other Frisk. “but...ya'know...” Sans chuckled. “i don't really care about capturing anybody.” Tallon relaxed. They were friendly. Like Toriel.

“Thank y-”

“now my brother, papyrus...” Sans interrupted, “he's a human-hunting FANATIC.”

Tallon frowned, nervous. The skeleton peered around them, the smile tightening again. “hey, actually, i think that's him over there...” Sans tilted his head in thought for a minute before shrugging. “i have an idea. go through this gate thingy,” Tallon glanced behind her, _is that what it's supposed to be?_ She raised her eyebrow at the monster.

Sans continued to smile. “yeah, go right through. my bro made the bars too wide to stop anyone.” Frisk pulled at Tallon's shirt, urging her to follow. Sans stayed close behind. Tallon didn't know how to feel about the situation but decided to trust Frisk, for now. They passed over the bridge and came upon a small guard station. Sans glanced around before nodding towards a lamp in the middle of the open space. “quick, behind that conveniently-shaped lamp, kiddo.”

Frisk hesitated, looking up at Tallon. She smiled encouragingly, nudging them behind the lamp before turning to the skeleton. It seemed conflicted for a moment before Tallon felt that weight around her again, this time lifting her, moving her into the little station. The weight disappeared and she fell to the ground, surrounded by condiments. She shifted so that she could see without being seen, and avoided making a mess of herself with all the ketchup packets strewn on the floor.

A taller skeleton marched into view, a scarf blowing behind it without any wind. It had an air of grace surrounding it, and a more militaristic outfit fitted with, from what Tallon could see, buttons of honor. The music that accompanied his SOUL was equal parts playful and intense. Tallon felt intimidated.

“sup, bro?” Sans called out, his voice carrying over the distance between them without raising a tick. Tallon frowned. _So this is Papyrus?_

“YOU KNOW WHAT 'SUP,' BROTHER! IT'S BEEN EIGHT DAYS AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T RECALIBRATED. YOUR. PUZZLES!” Papyrus was disappointed, but didn't seemed surprised by the news. Tallon noted that he was the opposite of his brother in more ways than one. His voice was naturally loud, sharp. He...was still scolding Sans. “WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!?”

Tallon noticed a glint in Sans's eye...socket? “staring at this lamp. it's really cool. do you wanna look?” Tallon tensed up, _the hell does he think he's doing?_

_ He Can Be Trusted, At Least In This Life. _

Papyrus stomped his foot. “NO!! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!!” He threw his hands up, stomping around. “WHAT IF A HUMAN COMES THROUGH HERE?!? I WANT TO BE READY!!!” Sans was snickering, causing Frisk to smile. Tallon held a finger to her lips and hoped that they saw her. She couldn't risk either of them getting caught. “I WILL BE THE ONE! I MUST BE THE ONE! I WILL CAPTURE A HUMAN!” Papyrus paused in his angry pacing, striking a handsome pose, his scarf billowing in an imaginary wind once more. “THEN, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS...” the emphasis on 'great' brought a smile to her face. She glanced at Sans, wondering who encouraged such self confidence. “I WILL GET ALL THE THINGS I UTTERLY DESERVE! RESPECT...RECOGNITION...I WILL FINALY BE ABLE TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD!” His pose loosened as he looked hopefully into the distance. “PEOPLE WILL...ASK...TO BE MY...'FRIEND'...” his smile, moments ago wide and gleaming, was now strained. His voice less boisterous. “I WILL BATHE IN A SHOWER OF KISSES EVERY MORNING...”

Sans hummed, catching his brother's distant attention. “maybe this lamp will help you...”

“SANS!!” Papyrus interrupted, back to his loud and cheery self. “YOU ARE NOT HELPING YOU LAZYBONES!! ALL YOU DO IS SIT AND BOONDOGGLE!” Tallon has never actually heard someone use that word outloud. “YOU GET LAZIER AND LAZIER EVERY DAY!”

Sans shrugged, “hey, take it easy. I've gotten a _ton_ of work done today...” Papyrus's body tensed. “...a skele- _ton_.” He winked towards Tallon, who was holding a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Frisk was shaking with their efforts to stay quiet. Papyrus let out a cry of frustration. “c'mon, you're smiling...” Sans prompted, his own smile wide.

Papyrus _was_ smiling, though it was strained. “I AM AND I HATE IT!” He sighed dramatically, throwing his skull back with an arm draped across it. “WHY DOES SOMEONE AS GREAT AS ME HAVE TO DO SO MUCH JUST TO GET SOME RECOGNITION...”

“wow, sounds like you're really working yourself... _down to the bone_.” Papyrus screeched. His sockets going wide. Sans shrugged.

“UGH! I WILL ATTEND TO MY PUZZLES...” He turned to leave, glancing back at his brother. “AS FOR YOUR WORK? PUT A LITTLE MORE...' _BACKBONE'_ INTO IT!!! NHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!” He left, letting out a silent, “heh?” before moving out of Tallon's sight.

“...ok, you can come out now.” Frisk fell back into the snow, holding their stomach as they finally released their laughter. Tallon climbed out of the little stand, careful not to break anything, and helped Frisk stand. She brushed off as much snow as she could from their jacket.

“you oughta get going,” Sans prompted, “he might come back and if he does...” He paused, causing a lump to form in Tallon's throat. She pulled Frisk close. Sans winked, “...you'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes.”

Tallon had the urge to hit the monster before her. He was funny, sure, and he knew how to clam her nerves in an instant...but he also knew how to rile her up in half that time. She huffed, taking Frisk's hand and marching in the direction Papyrus had gone. “actually, hey...” Sans called, causing Tallon to pause. She looked back. “hate to bother ya, but can you do me a favor?”

Frisk was already nodding but Tallon hesitated, “...while you might have made jokes that could have put Frisk into danger, you did keep us safe...” Tallon sighed, looking down at Frisk's pleading eyes. “Alright. What is it?”

Sans smile seemed small, his eyes distant. “i was thinking...” he scuffed a slipper in the snow. “my brother's been kind of down lately...and he's never seen a human before.”

“Wait, a minu-”

“seeing you might just make his day,” Sans cut off her complaint. Her look of concern made him chuckle. “don't worry, he's not dangerous...” His smile was loving, “even if he tries to be...”

Tallon smiled gently, “You really love him, huh?”

Sans pulled back his shoulders, “of course. he's all i have.”

“Please, Tallon? Papyrus is super cool! I wanna be his friend...” Frisk was tugging at her shirt and jumping in place.

She ruffled their hair, “Alright, alright. If he's harmless then I don't see why not.”

Sans let out a deep breath, his smile genuine. “thanks a million. i'll be up ahead.” He turned back towards the bridge.

“Wait but we're heading this-” Tallon lost sight of him, “-way...” She frowned, suddenly unsure about how she felt towards the skeleton brothers. While Papyrus might have been proven harmless, Sans was a wild card who was proving more secretive by the minute.

Frisk ran onward, “C'mon Tallon! Let's go do some puzzles!”

* * *

 Tallon didn't quite understand how she had been intimidated by Papyrus, attributing it to his loud personality. She watched on the sidelines with Sans as Frisk tried to solve one of Papyrus's puzzles.

They had encountered Papyrus in person not so long ago, causing a long and confusing conversation about what was a human vs a rock, Sans making a small promise to watch out for them as long as they went along with Papyrus's puzzles. There were many new monsters that Frisk began to befriend, and they stumbled across a boxing glove that joined the toy knife at the bottom of Tallon's bag.

They encountered Doggo, who was apparently nearly blind and freaked out when petted by “something that isn't moving”. Sans had warned them a little too late about blue attacks, which Frisk had to stand still for in order to not get hurt. Luckily they had plenty of spider cider to heal them and could move on without much delay. Tallon told Sans off for being unhelpful if he wasn't going to give them the information _before_ they needed it, rather than after, causing his smile to falter and his sockets to go dark. “Trust me. You'll understand later.” Frisk had hid behind her until Sans was once again a smiley, bubbly skelefriend.

And now they were here. Frisk had an orb on their head, following Papyrus's footsteps on the ground, Sans and Tallon off to the side, smiling at their younger charges antics. As Frisk exited the electricity maze, Papyrus cheered them on, “INCREDIBLE!! IT WAS ALMOST TOO EASY FOR YOU...” He contemplated for a moment, his hand on his jaw, tapping his foot before exclaiming, “THE NEXT PUZZLE WILL NOT BE SO EASY!” He clapped a hand onto Sans' shoulder, “IT WAS DESIGNED BY MY BROTHER, SANS! YOU WILL SURELY BE CONFOUNDED!” He 'nyeheheheh'd, “I KNOW I AM...” He ran off towards the next puzzle, a small Frisk running on his heel.

Tallon laughed.

Sans put a hand on her arm, “hey, thanks...for this. my brother seems like he's having fun.”

“Well, Frisk seems to be enjoying themselves too. I'm glad...”

They walked together, “by the way, did you see that weird outfit he's wearing?” Tallon nodded. “we made that a few weeks ago for a costume party. he hasn't worn anything else since...” Sans chuckles, Tallon smiles, their arms brush against each other. “he keeps calling it his 'battle body'.” Tallon laughed. “man...isn't my brother cool?”

Tallon noticed that Sans eyes were always bright when he talked about his brother, that his shoulders were relaxed, that his smile wasn't forced. “Yeah,” she mumbled, “he's pretty cool.”

They passed a man with a rolling cart, causing Sans to have that glint in his sockets again. “i've been thinking of selling treats too. want some fried snow? it's just 5G.” Tallon shook her head, smiling. “you're right. i should charge way more than that.” Tallon stopped walking, her body shaking too much from laughter to keep upright. Sans mentioned that Frisk and Papyrus would be down the lower trail, but that he had a few things to do before meeting up with them.

As Tallon came up behind Frisk, she noticed that Sans was in front of them, smiling as ever. That damn glint in his eyes again. She was starting to get weary of the monster. He was friendly, but mischievous. His brother, now rambling to Frisk about the differences between crosswords and word searches, and why one is better than the other, was so obviously innocent. So obviously young. He and Frisk ran off to do more puzzles, laughing and having a grand old time. Tallon hesitated, curious about Sans' odd expression as his brother left. “papyrus...” he explained, “finds difficulty in interesting places.” He shook his head, his smile more guarded. “yesterday he got stumped trying to 'solve' the horoscope.” Tallon nodded, understanding. His jokes were a way to distance himself, whether from her or from something deeper, Tallon could not say. She followed after Frisk.

She found them rolling on the ground with two dogs in black cloaks. The dogs freaked out when Frisk began to pet them in turn, muttering about “dogs who pet other dogs” Tallon didn't question.

They progressed through the next puzzle easily, each taking an X to move on faster. Papyrus was waiting for them, exclaiming about the spaghetti they had passed earlier. Tallon almost admitted that she didn't notice it but Frisk shouted out how much they loved his cooking. “WOWIE...” Papyrus looked touched. “NO ONE'S EVER ENJOYED MY COOKING BEFORE...WELL THEN!” He smiled, his sockets wide with pride. “FRET NOT HUMANS! I, MASTER CHEF PAPYRUS, WILL MAKE YOU ALL THE PASTA YOU COULD EVER WANT!” He walked with them, 'nyeheheh'ing along the way.

“MY BROTHER STARTED A SOCK COLLECTION RECENTLY,” he stated, “HOW SADDENING...” Tallon snickered, but Frisk mocked sympathy and patted his arm. “SOMETIMES I WONDER WHAT HE WOULD DO WITHOUT SUCH A COOL GUY TAKING CARE OF HIM!!!”

Tallon felt her heart clench. She'd never met a more loving pair of siblings. Frisk wandered ahead to the next puzzle. Papyrus tried to explain the adjustments that he'd made, trying to make it look like himself before it froze into place. Tallon laughed as they both stumbled through the puzzle, trying to figure out the new solution. She tried to direct them, but Frisk was laughing too much and Papyrus was too sure of himself to listen. She waited for them to get all the marks before pressing the button for them.

They progressed together, Papyrus commending Frisk on their excellent puzzling skills. Sans joined the group, ruffling the kid's hair. “good job on solving it so quickly. you didn't even need my help, which is great, 'cause i love doing absolutely nothing.” Papyrus huffed, stomping ahead. Sans was laughing, and began walking back the way they came as Frisk and Tallon came upon a small bridge. Sans was, once again, suddenly beside his brother. Tallon was getting annoyed.

She tried to pay attention to all the tile colors and rules but she couldn't keep up, eventually getting a piece of paper with the tiles explanations written in a tall, neat script. Papyrus pulled a lever, the tiles flashing vividly before revealing the puzzle they'd have to face. It was a straight line of pink tiles, which were safe, surrounded by reds. Papyrus spun off into the distance. Frisk and Tallon strolled along the pink path, hand in hand. Sans was laughing, ushering Frisk to follow his brother and cheer him up. “that spaghetti from earlier? it wasn't too bad for my brother. since he started cooking lessons, he's been improving a lot. i bet if he keeps it up, next year he'll even make something edible.”

Tallon laughed, “I could help with that, actually. I'm fairly decent at cooking...” She shrugged, suddenly aware that she suggested they would stay for a while.

“heh. I bet he'd like that...” Sans wandered off, leaving Tallon alone to go hunt for Frisk.

* * *

 Her head was still spinning from the ice puzzle. With Frisk running off every second they can, Tallon got lost as she wandered down a path to her right, rather than going straight. She found Sans around a corner. “what's up?”

“Where did Frisk and Papyrus run off to?” Tallon looked around, not seeing any puzzles nearby. Sans shrugged, only being vaguely helpful, something she guessed was a norm for him. She continued wandering down the path, figuring if she didn't see the boys then she would turn back and try the other path.

Lo and behold: she ran into Sans. Again. “say...are you following me?” He looked like he was about to laugh, his sockets squinting up at her, his smile wide.

She was so damn tired of that glint in his eyes. “Nope. No. That's it.” She threw her hands up and turned back. She wasn't surprised to see him back at the corner, and was glad to see that damn smile off his face for once. “I'm done with your shit, Sans. I need to find Frisk.” She stormed past him, trying the path to her right.

* * *

 She found Frisk playing with a small dog. “Frisk,” she called. They stopped petting the dog and it jumped into the armor next to it, upside down, and wandered off. Frisk came to her side. “Let's keep going, yeah?”

They agreed, “Do we still have spider cider?” Tallon shifted through her bag and pulled out a bottle. They drank half of it and handed it back. She stowed it away.

Frisk pointed, “Another bridge...” Tallon looked up and, yes, they had come upon another bridge. It was long, the other side well out of sight, but looked sturdy. It was also the only way forward.

“Don't let go of my hand.” Frisk didn't need to be told twice.

It felt solid as they walked. Tallon kept Frisk close to her side and away from the edges. There might have been rails but she didn't quite trust them. As the other side came into view, Frisk began to smile and wave. Tallon frowned. It was the skeleton brothers. _So this is another puzzle..._

“HUMANS! THIS IS YOUR FINAL AND MOST DANGEROUS CHALLENGE! BEHOLD!” Weapons began to surround them. Tallon pulled Frisk to her chest, folding around them and keeping an eye on Papyrus. Sans was by his side, still smiling. “THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!” It was living up to its name. Tallon was terrified. Frisk seemed indifferent to the situation. Sans was still. Fucking. Smiling. “WHEN I SAY THE WORD, IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE! CANNONS WILL FIRE! SPIKES WILL SWING! BLADES WILL SLICE! EVERYTHING WILL SWING VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN! ONLY THE SMALLEST CHANCE OF VICTORY WILL REMAIN!! ARE YOU READY!?”

Tallon motioned for a moment to talk with Frisk. “I need you to hold on to me very tightly.” Frisk locked their arms around her neck, their legs around her waist. Tallon held their head down and their body up. She got into a running position, ready to bolt forward at the first sign of movement. She nodded to Papyrus.

“I AM ABOUT TO DO IT!” The sentence was drawn out, followed by a long pause. Tallon kept her eyes on him, her body still ready.

Sans voiced her thoughts, “well? what's the hold up?”

“HOLD UP!? WHAT HOLD UP!? I'M...I'M ABOUT TO ACTIVATE IT NOW!” Papyrus still hesitated, his demeanor suddenly very unsure. Tallon was starting to shake from holding her position for so long.

“that, uh, doesn't look very activated...” Sans commented, looking up at him, his smile playful.

“WELL! THIS CHALLENGE...IT SEEMS...MAYBE...” Papyrus rubbed the back of his skull nervously. “TOO EASY TO DEFEAT THE HUMAN WITH.” He smiled again, standing tall. “YEAH! WE CAN'T USE THIS ONE!!! I'M A SKELETON WITH STANDARDS!!! MY PUZZLES ARE VERY FAIR! AND MY TRAPS ARE EXPERTLY COOKED! BUT THIS METHOD IS TOO DIRECT! IT HAS NO CLASS AT ALL! SO!”

The weapons began to back away, going back to wherever they go when the trap isn't set. Tallon fell to her knees, relieved. Frisk let go of her, turning to smile at Papyrus. The skeleton's back was turned but his shoulders gave away his sigh of relief. He must have felt Frisk staring because he glanced over his shoulder saying, “WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? THIS WAS ANOTHER DECISIVE VICTORY FOR PAPYRUS!!” He nyeh'd, but it sounded forced, almost nervous. He marched off, Frisk running to catch up with him.

“Wait, Fri-” Tallon called, but found it useless. They were already catching up to Papyrus. She was alone with Sans once more.

 _They Are A Child, Do Not Be Surprised When They Act Like One._ She huffed in frustration.

“hey, buddy. need a hand?” She jumped. Sans was suddenly in front of her, his hand outstretched. She eyed him suspiciously. “no tricks. you just look like you need help.” She continued to sit. His smile fell, “look, i get that you don't trust me, but i _am_ trying to help you...” Tallon frowned. His hand returned to his pocket. He looked back towards where his brother. “both of you...”

Tallon shuffled around on the ground before getting her feet under her properly, but as she straightened she lost balance. Her hands flailed. Sans got a hold of her shirt just before she hit the ground. “careful, if i didn't know any better i'd say you were _falling_ for me...” He winked, helping her stand before letting go. He wandered off, this time in the correct direction, leaving Tallon blushing and confused on the bridge.

* * *

 Up ahead was the town of Snowdin, where Tallon fell in love with the quaint buildings and townsfolk. She counted the money she still had from the Ruins, finding just enough for a few nights at the Inn. She found Frisk wandering in the shop next door.

“C'mon Frisk, it's been a long day. I think it's about time for bed, don't you?” Frisk complained, but followed her back to the Inn. They were asleep in minutes, completely unfazed by the snoring patrons in the next room.

Tallon wished she were as lucky. She left them in the bed, leaving a note, before going out to explore the town. The shop keeper was absolutely darling, giving Tallon a small cinnamon bun to taste. She wandered past Grillby's, which seemed to be a bar, and found several little books in the library that sparked her interest. “I'll be by tomorrow to check them out,” she told the librarian, who was delighted to see a new face in town.

The cold kept her awake, even if she felt tired. She eventually slipped into the bed with Frisk, too exhausted to notice the snoring.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while! With PokemonGo out I don't have a life anymore hahaha. So here was a longer chapter with skelebro shinanigans to make up for it! And if you're curious, Tallon can still be affected by most magic. She just can't be pulled into a battle. She actually got a burn from Toriel's flame while helping her cook one time, something she'll bring up eventually...probably...  
> As long as it's not in a battle setting the blue magic can work on her. 
> 
> Comments, questions, concerns? Post below and I'll see what I can do,  
> -JM


	11. Nyehehe

Her eyes opened slowly, her head buried in Toriel's pillow. She took a deep breath. Tallon wasn't ready for what she was about to face. She looked around the room. Frisk was sitting on her bed across the room, smiling. “Sleep well?” Tallon sat up slowly, ignoring the question. She stretched upward before smoothing out some wrinkles in her shirt. “Are you ready to go?” They jumped off the bed, the toy knife cradled in their hands.

Tallon nodded, adjusting her bag onto her back. She tied the ribbon around her wrist, keeping her hair down. She made a quick stop in Frisk's room, offering them a jacket from the closet. Frisk laughed, “I won't be needing it, but thank you.”

She found one that fit her well enough and a pair of gloves. “Let's go.” Frisk was already out the door. Tallon took a deep breath, then followed.

* * *

 The silence of the forest was even more unnerving after following the quiet Ruins. Frisk ignored the branch, so Tallon did as well. She still tensed when she heard it break, and shuttered when Frisk's smile widened. The bridge was in front of them. The weight held her still. The footsteps began. Frisk was...terrifying to look at.

“ _Human._ ” Frisk Turned, almost effortlessly, as though they were used to the weight holding them down. Tallon managed to glance over her shoulder. Sans's sockets were empty, his smile on par with Frisk's. Tallon felt out of the loop, and glad for her ignorance. Sans slowly turned towards Tallon, his pupils returning. He glanced towards Frisk every few seconds. “ _Don't you know how to greet a new pal? Turn around, and shake my hand..._ ” Tallon turned, this time without aid. He held out his hand. She took it without hesitation.

The fart noise echoed through the trees.

Frisk did not laugh. Tallon was too scared to react.

“that's, uh...you're cue to laugh.” Sans stared at Frisk, who was mimicking his smile. Sans winks towards Tallon, then focused on Frisk again. “or, uh, to emote at all...?” There was only silence. Sans muttered, “gee, lady you really know how to pick 'em, huh?” before continuing to address Frisk. “OK, that's fine. everyone's got their own sense of humor...” Sans nodded to each of them, “i'm sans. sans the skeleton. i'm actually supposed to be watching for humans now. But..y'know...” He glanced towards Frisk again. “i don't really care about capturing anybody.”

Tallon felt overwhelmed as Sans continued his speech. She thought about the Sans she'd met earlier. How he made her laugh, and annoyed her with his secrets. She looked at the Sans in front of her. His stance was guarded, his lines forced. As she walked with them through over the bridge she felt nauseous.

Frisk refused to hide behind the lamp. Sans was visibly annoyed. “do you wanna hide in my sentry station?” he asked, looking up at Tallon, “or are you as stubborn as kiddo here?” Tallon crawled into the station, taking care where she stepped. She didn't peak over the edge this time, curling up against the counter instead. She tucked her head into her knees and tried to stay calm.

“SANS!!! HAVE YOU FOUND A HUMAN YET!??” Papyrus's enthusiastic tone filled the area.

Sans hesitated, “yeah.”

“REALLY!?!?” Papyrus sounded skeptical. Sans must have done something to prove it because Papyrus continued, “WOWIE!!! GUESS THAT'S SETTLED!!!” Tallon heard his familiar march become distant. She finally looked over the counter. He was gone.

“that worked out, huh?” Sans nodded towards Tallon. “you're safe to come out.” She climbed over the counter. She was shaking, but not from the cold. She stood by the lamp that Frisk didn't hide behind, unsure of what to do. Frisk just stood there, smiling. Sans was annoyed. “...are you just gonna stare at me, or...?”

Frisk giggled, the first noise they'd made since they had exited the Ruins. It was high-pitched and sent a shiver down Tallon's spine. They skipped off towards the next area. “well, i'll be straight-forward with you.” Sans started, and Frisk froze mid-skip, looking mildly unhappy about it. “my brother'd really like to see a human...” Sans chuckled darkly, “so, y'know, it'd really help me out...” his voice dropped, reminding Tallon of earlier when he was hidden by the shadows. “if you kept pretending to be one.” His smile was tight, his eyes taunting.

Frisk looked over their shoulder, slowly, and matched his expression. “We shall see, comedian.”

Tallon felt like crying. Frisk moved on to the next area but she couldn't move to follow. There was no magic holding her down, only her own fear. She stared at the ground.

“i'd be careful around that kid...” Sans mumbled, his pink slippers coming into her view. “they're covered in dust...”

Tallon's heart broke. She fell to her knees, her chest tight, her breaths coming too fast.. Sans stepped back, unsure of what to do. “uh...” Tallon shook her head, pulling her knees in front of her and hugging them to her chest. She tucked her face into her knees again tried to calm herself. “it's...it's alright...” Sans forced out, sounding uncomfortable. “everything...everything will be fine...”

“But it won't be fine.” Tallon forced out, her voice weak, her throat tight. “Frisk...this Frisk is so...and Tori...and now here...” She couldn't finish a sentence. She was so scared of this Frisk...

Sans put a hand on her head. She was able to take a breath. “i'll keep an eye on the kid. you just take care of yourself.” Sans gave her a comforting smile before walking off towards the line of trees. Tallon knew he would show up wherever Papyrus was, but she wasn't ready to find Frisk yet...

She sat in the snow, her knees pressed against her chest, her mouth was dry, her lungs aching. She counted her breaths until she felt calm...

* * *

_Inhale. 16. Exhale._ Tallon felt as calm as she was going to be here. She stood, slowly, and knocked off the snow that had accumulated on her. It was time to face Frisk.

* * *

 The box that had the tough glove before now held the toy knife. Frisk must have switched their old weapon for the stronger one. The once soothing music of the SOULs withing Snowdin Forest were now silent. She moved on.

* * *

 “kid doesn't even bat an eye at papyrus's speeches...” Sans mentions as she pass by him. Tallon frowned.

* * *

 “pap isn't really enjoying the kiddo ignoring his puzzles.” Her chest began to feel tight.

* * *

 “guess they doesn't like word searches, huh? i don't either, more of a funny pages guy myself, but for papyrus? i'd do anything.” She began to feel nervous again.

* * *

 None of the puzzles were solved, but all of the traps were deactivated. Tallon was feeling sick to her stomach.

* * *

 “y'know, papyrus actually knows how to make decent puzzles. but the kid isn't even giving him a chance...” Sans was angry now. Tallon was scared.

* * *

 “HUMAN! THIS IS YOUR FINAL AND MOST DANGEROUS CHALLENGE!” Tallon heard in the distance. “BEHOLD! THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!” She slowly made her way along the bridge, listening to the distant sound of weapons lowering. “WHEN I SAY THE WORD, IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE!!!” Tallon could see Frisk in the distance. “CANNONS WILL FIRE! SPIKES WILL SWING! BLADES WILL SLICE! EACH PART WILL SWING VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN! ONLY THE TINIEST CHANCE OF VICTORY WILL REMAIN!!! ARE YOU READY!?” Tallon stopped a few steps behind Frisk. “BECAUSE I AM ABOUT TO DO IT!!!”

Once again, he did not activate the trap. Frisk continued to stand there, smiling. Papyrus looked sad. Sans asked, “well? what's the hold up?”

Papyrus turned away, “HOLD UP? WHAT HOLD UP? I'M...I'M ABOUT TO ACTIVATE IT NOW!” He squared his shoulders and turned back to face Frisk. But as he stared at him his resolve began to fracture.

“that, uh, doesn't look very activated.”

Papyrus shook his head. “WELL....THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO WALK THROUGH IT. AND IT WON'T BE ANY FUN AT ALL...” Tallon felt her heart breaking.

Sans gave a hum of disappointment. “so this human thing was a bust, huh?”

“WELL...I MEAN...I'M EXCITED TO CAPTURE THEM...SO I'LL BECOME A FAMOUS ROYAL GUARDSMAN!!!” Papyrus cheered up at the idea, but continued to frown. “BUT ALL THE TIME I PUT INTO THESE PUZZLES...IT'S KIND OF LIKE THROWING A BIRTHDAY PARTY...”

Sans butted in, “without traps and fire?”

“EXACTLY!! IT'S POINTLESS!!!” Tallon didn't know how to feel about that. “MAYBE YOU WERE RIGHT TO BE LAZY ABOUT PUZZLES...” Papyrus's shoulders slumped.

Sans's smile was wavering. “me? right about something? Really?”

Papyrus stood for a moment in thought. Frisk was starting to look bored. “YEAH!! WHAT AM I SAYING? YOU'RE STILL COMPLETELY WRONG! I JUST HAVE THE WRONG AUDIENCE!” Papyrus was beginning to look more like himself, and the knot in Tallon's stomach relaxed a bit. “THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH FUN UNDYNE WOULD HAVE HERE! FLAMES, VIOLENCE...IT'S RIGHT UP HER ALLEY! SO I WON'T WASTE ON YOU! I JUST HAVE TO APPRECIATE THE FRIEND I ALREADY HAVE!”

Tallon wanted to cry. She knew from before that he was desperate for more friends. She wanted to scream at this Frisk for breaking Papyrus's lovable spirit. For making Sans so guarded, rather than playful. She regretted how she had treated him before and long to return to that timeline. As Papyrus nyehheh'd his way onward, Frisk made their way across the bridge. They ignored Sans, beginning to skip after the taller skeleton.

Sans watched them leave. “hmmm...guess we didn't need the kid's help to have a good time after all...” he chucked, low and throaty. “...but if they keep going the way they're going?” his eyes were empty as he glanced towards Tallon. “they're gonna have a bad time.”

Tallon was terrified. She took a step back, loosing her balance and leaning too close to the edge. She caught a hold of the railing as she flipped over it, crying out as the rope bit into her hand under the strain. She glanced down, unable to see the ground, then looked up to see a concerned skeleton. “i can-” she shook her head, using her free hand to find a grip on the wood planks. She swung a leg up, slowly rolling herself back onto the bridge.

She stayed there, sprawled out on the bridge, until she felt calm enough to move. Sans stood beside her. He looked guilty, “sorry if i scared you...didn't mean for you to take a tumble...”

“Ain't no _skin off my bones_...” Tallon attempted a joke, but her tone was too flat to really sell it. Sans laughed anyway, offering her a hand. She raised her eyebrow. “No tricks?”

He shook his head. “nah, not after that...” She took his hand, no whoopee cushion sounded, and he helped her to her feet. “i'd better go check on my bro...take care of yourself...” Sans trailed off. Tallon forgot that Frisk hasn't introduced themselves yet.

“Tallon.” she offered, “and the kid is Frisk.” Sans nodded, accepting the information.

“see ya 'round, tallon...”

* * *

 When Tallon finally stumbled into Snowdin Town, she was pale and shaky. The once lively town was quiet and almost empty. As she entered the shop, the bunny keeper was nowhere to be found. Tallon found a bandanna with a drawing of abs in the middle and a couple of cinnabunnys and a bisicle. She tucked the food into her bag but folded the bandanna so that the abs were puffed out and tucked it into her back pocket. She found a note but dared not read it.

She tried the Inn next, finding only a decoy of the innkeeper's son.

There was one kid still outside, they were young, with spikes and no arms. “Yo, everyone ran away and hid somewhere. Man, adults can be so dumb sometimes, haha...” Tallon rubbed her arm, looking away from the child. “Don't they know we've got Undyne to protect us?!”

Tallon hopped this Undyne was as good of a person as everyone was making them out to be, taking a deep breath. “Wouldn't Undyne suggest that you listen to your parents?”

The monster kid frowned and looked away. “Yeah...probably. She's so cool, and always makes sure we follow the rules and stuff.” They jumped around. “I'm gonna be just like her someday!” They ran off, hopefully to wherever their parents were hiding.

When Tallon glanced into Grillby's, it was deserted. Not even the bartender remained. Even the library was empty.

As Tallon walked past the edge of town, she could hear Papyrus's voice, but not his exact words. She could hear Frisk's laughter.

She ran...

* * *

 ...right into Sans. The fog was so thick, she didn't notice him until they were both knocked into the snow. “Sorry! Sorry...” Tallon rolled off him and stood, trying to look around.

Sans looked just as panicked as she felt. She helped him stand. “i have to find papyrus.”

Tallon nodded. They ran together. The sound of Frisk's laughter was so close...

The fog began to thin out, revealing Frisk standing over Papyrus's decapitated head. “W-WELL. THAT'S NOT WHAT I EXPECTED...” Papyrus's body blew away into the fog, but his head remained for a moment. “BUT...ST...STILL! I BELIEVE IN YOU! YOU CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER!” Tallon didn't feel the same. “EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK SO! I...I PROMISE...” His eyes began to close, his skull turning to dust. His SOUL floated to Tallon, letting out a cheerful “NYEH HEH!” before fracturing, just as Toriel's had.

Sans was shaking beside her.

Frisk simply wiped the dust from their gloves to their pants and moved on. “Come along, Tallon. We shouldn't dilly-dally.”

She didn't follow. She was shaking. Her cheeks were wet and cold. She fell to her knees. Sans was no longer by her side.

Frisk sighed, sounding annoyed. “Look, it's the only way to move forward, alright? You'll get used to it.”

Tallon didn't want to get used to it. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to see the other Frisk. The one who played along with Papyrus and made him happy. She wanted to hear Sans make jokes that didn't sound forced. She didn't want this lump in her throat, or this ache in her heart.

“It seems you're not ready yet. Go sleep at the Inn. I'll scout around for supplies I guess.” Tallon didn't need to be told twice. Especially by this Frisk. She ran back to the Inn, taking the stairs two at a time. She locked the door behind her before throwing herself on the bed.

She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was hellish to write. It's been a while since I've watched a No Mercy, so every time I have to switch timelines in the story I have to go watch someone play so I can get the dialogue right. It's not word-for-word in some parts, because Sans is mostly talking to Tallon instead of Frisk, but it's still saying the same thing.  
> Anyway! Questions, Comments, Concerns? Post below!  
> -JM


	12. Dimensional Box

Tallon shot up, knocking her head against something hard. Tallon rubbed her head.

Sans was rubbing his skull, just above his eye. Tallon got a flash of a face, very similar to Sans's, with a crack in the spot he was touching...“well now i'm sure you're _hitting_ on me...”

Tallon shook her head and smiled at the pun. Her heart was racing, whether from the from the hit or from the dream...

She realized she was alone in bed. She began to panic. “Where's Frisk?” She jumped out of the bed, almost hitting Sans again.

_ Careful, Tallon. _

He stepped back, holding his hands out. “kid's running around the forest...” Tallon hunted around the room for her bag. Sans sat on the edge of her bed, watching. She dug out the toy knife and tough glove, sighing in relief. “maybe you should join them and _cool_ yourself off.”

“I just...had to make sure of something.” Tallon noticed that Sans was tense while she held the weapons. She tucked them back into her bag, taking stock of their spider products.

“you're bag seems pretty full...” Sans commented, “maybe you should use the dimensional box.” Tallon stared at him, confused. “did...did you buy the tough glove from the shop?” Tallon shook her head. “then you found it in the dimensional box.”

“Is that what it was? Frisk just dug around in it and handed me the glove...” Tallon lamented her lack of jacket this time around, but fitted the beanie over her ears. She was used to wearing the same shirts for days on end after spending several weeks in the Ruins with only a few days worth of clothes.

“i'll walk with you and try to explain it.” Sans followed her out of the room, his hands tucked nicely into his pockets. Tallon envied him for his jacket. It looked warm, nice and fluffy, the hood lined with fur. Sans pulled a pair of gloves out of his pocket. “here. you look _chilled to the bone_.”

Tallon laughed, taking the gift gratefully. They were stripped purple and gray, with a similar fur to his coat on the inside. They felt a little snug on her hands, but Tallon didn't mind. “Thanks...” They passed over the bridge in comfortable silence.

Tallon could hear Frisk's laughter in the distance, followed by Papyrus's delighted “nyeheh!” Sans was smiling thoughtfully. Tallon bumped his shoulder. “They sound like they're having fun.”

Sans nodded. “pap is probably showing them his snowman. it's pretty good, actually. looks just like him.”

Tallon smiled. “I guess that makes him...” _Don't You Dar-_ “a real _winter_.”

_ You're Just As Bad As He Is. _

Sans laughed, but shook his head. “that was horrible. i _snow_ you can do better than that.”

They continued past the rows of failed snowdogs, trading puns whenever one of them had a good one. Sans began to explain some of the mechanics put into the traps, and how natural it was for Papyrus to create something so elaborate. “don't get me wrong, if push comes to shove i could probably come up with something equally as useful, but my bro? he does it in a matter of minutes. he has tons of more plans drawn up in his room, he just doesn't have the resources for them. but he keeps them, 'cause undyne swears that she'll help him build them once we get to the surface...” Sans trails off, looking uncomfortable. “ _if_ we ever get there, anyway.”

Tallon placed a hand on his shoulder. “Frisk seems determined to help everyone...and I'm trying my best too. We'll find a way out for everyone, not just ourselves.”

Sans looked away, his cheeks turning blue. _Is he blushing?_ Tallon smiled, asking questions about the dimensional box instead.

She watched as Sans's laid back personality blossomed before her eyes. He was tone was no longer slow and easy, becoming fast and animated as he tried to explain the science behind the interdenominational traveling that happens within the box. “it's a lot similar to-” Sans hesitated, his hand hovering over one of his pockets. “uh...never mind that...” He explained the different locations where they would be able to access the box, and that it was useful for holding items that they didn't need now but might later on.

“So I should probably leave some of our goods in it, so that we can ration it better?” Tallon suggested as she opened the box. She was never really fond of science, but with Sans explaining it she could understand the charm.

“yeah, probably. once you guys start moving forward again, the monsters only get stronger and stronger...” Tallon put two full jugs of spider cider into the box, and one of their spider donuts. “heh, those look pretty good. i might go find myself one some time.”

Tallon smiled. “The spiders in the Ruins were very nice, but I don't know if you could get to them...” She thought about Toriel's first request to never leave, and then her last request to never return. “Tori seems keen on keeping everyone out of the Ruins.”

Sans shrugged. “no _bones_ about it, i guess i'll find somewhere else to get some.” He nodded his head back the way they came. “c'mon, lets go find the kiddo and my bro.”

* * *

 

As they searched for their companions, Tallon enjoyed the soothing music of Snowdin. The SOULs resonated so peacefully, creating a winter wonderland feel that wrapped around her and comforted her like freshly fallen snow. Which was accompanied by falling snow. She noticed that Sans's SOUL didn't challenge the natural tone of the music, but sat quietly underneath it all, almost unnoticeable unless Tallon was listening for it. Toriel was similar, letting the Ruins harmonize on its own, but let her own music fill her home. As they got closer to where Frisk and Papyrus were building snowmen, Tallon could hear Papyrus's SOUL resonate _over_ the natural music, becoming the only thing you hear in his presence.

“YOU CREATE A FORMITABLE SNOWMAN, YOUNG HUMAN!” Papyrus was standing to the side of Frisk's snowman, his hand on his jaw, looking it up and down. It was a standard snowman, a large ball of snow as the base and a smaller one placed lopsided on top. There was a goofy face dug out of the head. “BUT I FEEL WE COULD DO BETTER!” He began to reshape the snowman. Frisk helped gather the snow.

Sans was looking bored watching them. “so... _ice_ weather we're having, huh?” He laughed as Papyrus knocked off a muscular arm he'd just added to the snowman by flailing his arms in anger.

“SANS! YOUR JOKES ARE NOT HELPING!! WHY DON'T YOU AND OLDER HUMAN MAKE ANOTHER SNOWMAN!? WE MUST FINISH THE SNOWMAN ARMY!!”

“ _snow_ problem, bro. we'll get right on that.” Sans flopped back into the snow and laid there.

“UGH!!! YOU'RE SUCH A LAZY BONES!” Papyrus towered over his brother, his hands on his hipbone, his foot tapping. “MUST I DO EVERYTHING MYSELF?” He looked over at Tallon. “WILL YOU BE LAZY LIKE MY BROTHER, OR WILL YOU HELP THE SMALL HUMAN AND I CREATE A MASSIVE ARMY?”

Tallon shrugged before falling back into the snow as well. Before Papyrus could give out a cry of defeat, she began waving her arms and legs, digging into the snow and pushing it out of the way. “WHAT...HUMAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Papyrus was puzzled by her antics, but Frisk got the idea and joined in, creating a snow angel beside her. “BROTHER!? I THINK WE BROKE THE HUMANS???”

Tallon laughed, “No, Papyrus! We're making snow angels.” Frisk carefully stepped out of their angel, smoothing out the edges and presenting their work. Tallon sat up in hers, pointing. “It's faster than making snowmen, and probably even more effective, because it's an angel and has wings.” She was joking, but Papyrus jumped at the chance to make “WINGED BATTLE ANGLES” “angels, bro” and began to flail around on the ground as quickly as he could. It took a few tries to explain the concept fully, but once Papyrus got the hang of it, he began making them in a matter of moments, moving on to the next area, eventually filling up the ground with snow angels.

Tallon was shivering slightly, but didn't complain. Frisk was laughing and having fun. They made several snow angels between Papyrus's larger ones, filling up most of the available space on the ground. Tallon noticed that their face was very red. It was time to go.

“Alright, kid, it's time to go back to town.” There was ample protest from both Frisk and Papyrus.

“kid's cold, bro. the cold doesn't go through them like it does us. plus, i'm sure it's been a while since they've last ate.” Sans winked towards Tallon, who's stomach had growled a few minutes before. She didn't know anyone had heard...

Papyrus was jumping around, clapping his hand's together. “OOH! OOH!! YOU MUST COME TO OUR HOUSE, HUMANS! I WILL MAKE YOU A CULLENARY FEAST SO MAGNIFICENT, YOU WON'T WANT TO EAT ANYTHING ELSE!!!”

“so spaghetti?” Sans stood up, letting Tallon brush snow off his jacket.

“OF COURSE!!!” Papyrus lifted Frisk onto his shoulder, holding their legs so they won't fall. Tallon called for them to hold that pose, and shuffled around in her bag for her camera. She snapped a photo of them, then of their army of snow angels. Sans was fascinated by her Polaroid, watching closely as Tallon shook the photo to make the image appear. He looked like he had a million questions to ask her, but Papyrus was already wandering off, taking Frisk with him.

He waited for Tallon to put away the camera and her new photos before holding out a hand. “wanna see something cool?” Tallon hesitated. She had an idea about what he was about to show her. Her curiosity about his ability to travel seemingly anywhere in an instant was parallel to her annoyance at him for using it to bug her. In the end, she took his hand. His smile widened, and one of his eyes flashed blue and yellow as he pulled her towards him.

They were standing in front of a two story home, the one past the library that she didn't get around to seeing before falling asleep. Papyrus came bounding up beside them, complaining that it wasn't fair for them to use magic in order to win the race.

“didn't even know we were racing, bro. just didn't feel like walking that far.” Sans dropped Tallon's hand and shrugged. He nudged the door open with his foot, sending Papyrus into a rage about keeping the door locked, or at least fully closed, like he asked. Sans nodded along to what his brother was saying, but obviously didn't plan on following through any time soon.

Tallon began to wonder the source of his laziness.

Papyrus set Frisk down on the couch and headed to the kitchen, “WAIT HERE, MY FRIENDS! I SHALL WHIP US UP A HARTY MEAL!” Sans looked pointedly at Tallon, his head tilted towards the kitchen.

“Hey, Papyrus?” He stopped in the doorway, looking back at her. “Would you like some help?”

Sans lowered his head in shame. Papyrus posed dramatically. “I, THE MASTER CHEF PAPYRUS, HAVE NEVER NEEDED HELP IN THE KITCHEN!!” He smiled, “HOWEVER, IF YOU WISH TO LEARN ALL OF MY WONDERFUL TRICKS ON MAKING THE PERFECT SPAGHETTI DISH, THEN PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE KITCHEN!” Sans looked surprised, but grateful. Tallon gave him a thumbs up before following his brother.

“Will they be alright alone?” She inquired, glancing back at a nervous Frisk.

_ In This Life, Frisk And Sans Can Get Along. Do Not Fret. _

“OF COURSE! MY BROTHER IS FAR TOO LAZY TO DO ANYTHING TO THE YOUNG HUMAN! HE WILL PROBABLY BORE THEM WITH SCIENCE OR ANNOY THEM WITH PUNS!!” He handed her a spare apron and began to gather ingredients. Frisk was laughing in the living room.

* * *

 

Cooking with Papyrus was comparable to walking a puppy. It was easy enough to guide it along, but sometimes it would run astray and make a huge mess. They somehow got a few pasta noodles stuck to the ceiling, and red sauce was splattered across the room. But, in all the chaos, they had made a decent spaghetti that Tallon and Frisk could eat.

Papyrus put on a show featuring a rectangular robot doing a one-man show of some drama. Tallon had a hard time following it but Frisk seemed interested enough. The spaghetti wasn't her best, but with Papyrus insisting that “Undyne knew what she was talking about when she said to do this or that”, it was as good as she could make it. She was sitting on the couch with Sans with Frisk and Papyrus at their feet.

She felt...Tallon didn't want to say at home, per se...but very welcome. Toriel's home was light and airy, full of sounds and smells that drew you in, and her personality warm and motherly. Tallon and Frisk were at home with her. Here, where the music was more in line with Sans's SOUL, where even Papyrus mellows out, it's relaxed, casual. There was no pressure to do anything or feel a certain way. It was simply them spending time with each other. No one was assuming a parental role, instead enjoying each other as friends.

Tallon missed days spent like this. She pushed the rest of her spaghetti around on her plate. The program ended and Papyrus began to clean up the dishes. He quelled any offerings of help from both Tallon and Frisk. “YOU ARE MY GUESTS, AND SHALL BE TREATED AS SUCH!”

Sans yawned, his bones popping. Tallon didn't know if she should be concerned or grossed out by the sound. “Alright, Frisk. Go thank Papyrus for inviting us over and say your goodbyes.”

“But Tallon! It's not even that la-” their protest was cut off with a yawn. They grumbled, but complied with her request. Papyrus was loudly lamenting their “quick departure”.

“hey, thanks for helping him. even when undyne comes over to cook with him, she tends to get sidetracked and just makes a huge mess. he's eager to learn...just doesn't have the best teacher heh.” Sans was turned towards the kitchen, his smile soft.

Tallon shrugged, finding Frisk's coat and hat tossed under the table to her left. “It's no big deal. I helped cook a lot at home 'cause my mom worked late sometimes.” Sans was holding out her beanie and gloves for her when she stood up. “Thank you.” She glanced into the kitchen. Papyrus had Frisk held up high in the air, their arms and legs flailing. She smiled. “He has a very big heart...”

“heh, yeah...it, uh, it can get him in trouble...sometimes.” Sans was watching Frisk as Papyrus twirled them around. Tallon thought back to her dream, to Papyrus's last words...

“He's also very confident. I wonder who gives him so much praise...” Tallon side-eyed Sans, who's cheeks were a bright blue. _Ha! So it is a blush..._

“hey, i just tell him like it is. he's the coolest.”

“I CAN ONLY ASSUME YOU ARE REFERING TO THE GREAT PAPYRUS, FOR HE IS THE ONLY COOL GUY AROUND!” Tallon chuckled, waving for Frisk to put on their coat. “SANS AND I WILL BE AT OUR GUARD STATIONS TOMORROW, TINY HUMAN, SHOULD YOU WISH TO JOIN US!”

Frisk looked up at Tallon with pitiful eyes. “Can I?”

Tallon looked up to the ceiling as though it had the answers. “I'm not your mom kid, and Tori isn't exactly here to fill that role.” Mentioning her name made the knot in Tallon's stomach clinch. Frisk was looking at the ground when Tallon finally looked at them. She sighed, “You can do whatever you want as long as you promise to take care of yourself.” Frisk held out their pinkie, letting Tallon wrap hers around it. She grinned mischievously at them before offering her other hand, crossed over their joined pinkies. Frisk linked their other hand without question.

Tallon quickly untwisted her arms, turning Frisk backwards and trapping their body against hers with their own arms. They let out a shrill laugh, wiggling to get free. Sans was bent over laughing, muttering about “the kid's face”. Papyrus was applauding Tallon for her trap.

Tallon let go long enough to put on her hat and gloves before taking their hand again. “Goodbye guys, we'll see you tomorrow.”

* * *

 

At the Inn, Frisk was quick to recount their morning activities until Tallon and Sans had joined them. They tried to explain what Papyrus's snowman is supposed to look like when they finish rebuilding it (apparently they had a snowball fight that got too intense and knocked it over), and how Sans was making fun of Mettaton (apparently the rectangular robot on the tv earlier?) while she and Pap had been cooking.

Eventually they fell asleep. Tallon, however, did not. She was restless again, though she knew it was more about not wanting to wake up in that other place...

_ You May Rest Easy For Tonight. Until This Timeline Catches Up To The Other, You Will Not See It. _

_Why do I even have to see it at all?_ Tallon complained, not wanting to talk out loud for fear of waking Frisk.

_ Ah, My Dear Tallon. You Have Already Seen Everything That Timeline Has To Offer. You Simply Don't Remember. It Will All Become Clear Later. _

_Why can't you just explain it now?_

_ You Must Learn Everything On Your Own, I'm Afraid. If You Learn Too Much Too Soon, All Progress Will Be Lost. _

Tallon looked out the tiny window in their room. It was always snowing...

_ Sleep. It Will Be Peaceful Tonight. If You So Wish It, I Will Answer Any Questions I Can In The Morning. _

Tallon guessed that was all she could get from the voice, for now. _Alright._ She curled up in the bed, keeping enough distance between herself and the kid in case she starts shifting. _Goodnight..._

_ Sleep Well. _

She did.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, finally. First, I updated the tags a little. Second: My little Tallon is starting to get some answers. Speaking of, do any of you need answers? Comment below! I'll do what I can ;)  
> -JM


	13. Anti-Jokes

They fell into a pattern over the next few days. Frisk would wake up much earlier than Tallon and run off to explore on their own or patrol with Papyrus, taking goodies that they had sweet talked the shopkeeper into giving them.

Tallon's nights were dreamless, but she still feared falling asleep and waking up with the other Frisk. The voice, who refuses to give her a name, would spend a little time each morning talking with her about her dreams, which are actually parallel timelines that she witnessed once she reaches that same point in time during this timeline...

Tallon wasn't sure how to take that information. Anytime she tried to ask about how she could have lived in that timeline, when she obviously was in this one, the voice would mumble about “when the time comes” and avoid her questions.

She would stay in town for a bit, chatting with the locals, before meeting up with Sans for lunch, which was usually at Grillby's (which was slowly becoming her favorite place in town, besides the brother's house) and hanging out with him at his station. They would sit quietly together, Tallon reading something from the Library while Sans napped. Sometimes they would compare the Surface to the Underground.

Tallon was currently trying her best to explain some of the more recent advances in technology and medicines.

“hold on a sec...” Sans said, waving his hand between them as though to physically pause the conversation. “you're tellin' me...that with all these advances in medicine and science and technology...there are still people across the world who just...what? go without? it just doesn't benefit them?”

“Well...” Tallon tried to think of a way to explain hundreds of years of conflict, disproportions in population and resources, and corrupt governments who don't always have the people's needs as their first priority. She thought about turning on her phone but doubted she could get any sort of signal on it. “I mean, how is it down here? There's obvious differences in climates and limited resources all around. Is there not a disproportion somewhere in the mix?”

Sans shook his head. “we might be spread out as much as we can be down here, but king asgore makes sure that everyone is well taken care of.”

Tallon nodded. “See, now think of it on a larger scale, except now every single town has it's own ruler and they all have different goals.” Tallon waved a hand towards the bridge. “Like how Toriel may run the Ruins and then Snowdin is ruled by...let's say Papyrus. They'd be completely different. Except now let's say that they hate each other, or at least don't trust each other, and they both have different wants and needs for their location that puts the other in jeopardy. So nothing gets through quickly, and is all regulated and rationed.”

“so you're saying there's so much conflict between heads of...countries was it? that nothing gets done.” Sans looked disappointed.

Tallon shrugged. “Stuff gets done, it's just slow moving and wars are usually started when things move too fast...” Wow humanity was sounding worse and worse by the second. “I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't talk about the Surface. It probably sounds horrible...”

“well, it's more than we have down here. I'm sure once we're out king asgore will have a big sit down with everyone and make them all feel bad for hating each other and blah blah blah everything will sort itself out.” Sans was rolling his eyes. “he's pretty convincing when he wants to be, he's just really tired now. after the war he was able to keep the peoples hopes up because, honestly, down here wasn't all that bad. then one thing led to another-long story, don't wanna bore ya-and his son and adoptive child both die and suddenly he wants to start another war.” Sans yawned, leaning back against the counter of his station. “but recently he's been talking about freein' everyone and just making peace. it's been too long down here...we're all spread thin.”

Tallon was really curious about the obviously important information that Sans just glazed over, but by the looks of Sans's head dipping down it was a story for another time. She left him to his nap and continued reading her book.

* * *

 

“come with me.” Sans was suddenly wide awake and offering a hand to Tallon a few hours later. She held up a finger for him to wait. She marked her spot with her makeshift bookmark (a picture of Papyrus with Frisk on one shoulder and Sans tucked under his other arm, asleep), and looked up at him.

“Is something up with Pap?” She'd come to rather after a few days that Sans had an uncanny ability to locate his brother and knew his general emotional state at all times. She couldn't decide if it was a brotherly instinct or a weird monster thing. She didn't question.

“nah, just wanna show you something.”

Tallon was debating the odds of it being a prank. _You'll Enjoy This._

She stored her book on a shelf in his station and grabbed her bag. When she took his hand, his eye flashed and he pulled her close. They were in front of the door to the Ruins. Tallon frowned. “Y'know, we could have just walked over here? It's not that far away...” _Or we could have not came here at all..._

“'m too lazy to walk that far.” he knocked on the door. Tallon thought back to the long hallway leading to the exit. _There's no way Toriel would hear that all the way..._

A familiar tone called out, “Who's there?” _Holy shit._

“dishes.”

“Dishes, who?” Tallon could hear the smile in Toriel's voice. Her heart clenched.

“dishes a really bad knock knock joke.” Sans winked at Tallon, but she didn't notice, her eyes trained on the door as Toriel's laughter echoed through.

Tallon's eyes were wet.

There was a petite knock from the other side of the door. Sans replied, “who's there?”

“Ho-ho.”

“ho-ho who?”

“Hmmm...your Santa impression could use a little work, I'm afraid.” Toriel chuckled.

“good one, lady.” Sans glanced over at Tallon. She hadn't moved an inch. “kid,” he muttered, “you alright?”

She nodded. “Please...keep her talking...” Sans complied.

They exchanged several knock knock jokes before Toriel mentioned having to go back to patrolling the Ruins. “Oh, one last thing, my friend...” She hesitated.

“what's up?”

“...how are the humans doing?” Toriel's voice was quiet.

Tallon was holding herself together with a taunt string. Sans smiled at her. “they're doin' good. The kid's running around with my bro right now.”

“And the older one?” Toriel was quick to ask, worry threaded through her voice. Tallon felt her resolve crack.

Sans put a hand on her shoulder and faced the door. “she's here with me.”

There was silence.

Tallon was shaking.

“...ya still there, buddy?” Sans called, suddenly worried he had overstepped.

Toriel seemed to have snapped out of her thoughts, “Yes! Yes, sorry, I was just...” she trailed off. “So is she...my child, are you really there?”

“Yeah...” Tallon's voice came out horse and quiet. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Yeah, yeah I'm here Miss Toriel...”

There was a long, shuttering breath from the other side. “It is so nice to hear your voice...are you having fun out there? Is Frisk alright?”

“Yeah, Tori, it's really nice out here. The snow...the woods...the people...we're finding new things every day.” Tallon didn't notice that she was leaning onto Sans for support. “And Frisk is doing great. They somehow got the Shopkeeper in town to agree to give them a free treat every day. And then there's Papyrus, Sans's brother, who adores Frisk...they're constantly running around and doing puzzles.” Tallon felt Sans's hand wipe at her cheeks. They were cold.

“I'm so glad, my child...” Toriel sounded relieved. “I must go now. Try to see if Frisk can visit with you both next time. And please...” Toriel paused, “...please inform me before you depart from Snowdin.”

“I will, Toriel. Goodbye...”

“Goodbye, my child.” Tallon could hear retreating footsteps. She collapsed onto Sans, burring her face in the fur of his hood. He patted her back.

* * *

 

“Woah! You're the one she got all the jokes from?” Frisk was jumping on Papyrus's bed, waving their hands around. “She keeps them all in a book too, so she can joke around the the other Monsters in the Ruins.”

“yeah, well...” Sans was blushing again, a sight Tallon was enjoying immensely. “what can i say? there's a reason i'm the lead comedian at mtt hotel...”

Tallon glanced over at him, “MTT Hotel?”

“IT'S METTATON'S HOT NEW HOTEL IN HOTLANDS!!” Papyrus informed her, waving around a Mettaton shaped action figure. “HE BUILT IT A WHILE AGO BUT IT'S HAD SOME RENOVATIONS RECENTLY AND HE ASKED FOR SANS TO BRING SOME BUSINESS IN WITH SOME COMEDY SKITS EVERY SO OFTEN...” Papyrus paused, looking wistfully into the distance. “NOT THAT HE NEEDS THE HELP BECAUSE HE IS THE UNDERGROUND'S FAVORITE SEXY RECTANGLE!”

Tallon didn't quite see the appeal of Mettaton, but she understood he was sort of all the Underground had in terms of entertainment. Frisk eventually got bored of jumping around and began to help Papyrus make “battle plans”, but most of their suggestions involved a lot of flirting to make the armies friends...?

 _Such a weird kid..._ Tallon thought, shaking her head. _Would You Rather They-_

“hey, t, wanna go to grillby's?” Sans was leaning against Papyrus's door frame. Tallon was glad for the interruption.

Tallon rolled her eyes at the nickname, having already expressed her hatred for it and gotten nowhere. She was getting hungry though, “Yeah, alright. Frisk, Pap?” Papyrus made a noise of disgust and Frisk shook their head. She shrugged, “Don't burn the house down while we're gone.”

As she followed Sans out the door she could hear Papyrus Nyehehing as Frisk made a soldier flirt with it's commanding officer. “We'll be back soon!” She called, and closed the door behind them.

* * *

 

At Grillby's, Tallon ordered some fries while Sans got a burger. She ended up hitting her head on the bar several times while Sans tried to make fire puns to get a rise out of Grillby. After several failed attempts, she lifted her head and said, “Give a man a fire, and he'll be warm for an evening...set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!”

Sans stopped laughing at his last pun and turned to her, his eyes wide. “uh...that's...that's a little dark, doncha think?”

Tallon shrugged. “Maybe. It's an anti-joke if it is.”

“anti-joke?”

“You know...” Tallon tried to think of another one. “Why did Sally fall off the swing?” Sans shrugged. “'Cause she didn't have any arms.”

Sans snickered, then looked surprised. “oh god at least it's better than sarcasm...” he was chuckling, but trying not to. It almost looked painful.

Tallon even heard a faint, echoing chuckle. _It's Not Funny And Yet..._

Tallon grinned. “Knock knock.”

“who's there?”

“Not Sally.”

“oh my g-” Sans was laughing, his head now resting on the bar, his body shaking.

_ That's So Horrible. Why Does Stuff Like This Amuse You Humans? _

Grillby was shaking his head, but seemed glad that Sans had stopped pestering him. He set their food down and gave her a nod.

“that-that was horrible.” Sans was calming down, squirting ketchup onto his burger before offering it to Tallon.

She tightened the lid before squirting some onto her fries. “That's the idea. It's something horrible that still makes you laugh.”

They ate in companionable silence.

* * *

 

The house was still intact when they got back. They found Papyrus and Frisk fast asleep on the couch. Tallon takes a quick picture of them, then of Sans giving them both bunny ears, before picking Frisk up. They locked their feet behind her back and their arms around her neck without question. She draped their jacket around them as a makeshift blanket and tucked their gloves into her pockets.

“c'mon pap, time to get in bed...” Sans was helping Papyrus stand, an interesting feat to see with Sans only coming up to Pap's shoulders. Papyrus was muttering about the battle plans he and Frisk had worked out, and Sans winked at Tallon. “g'night, kid,” he called as he half-carried a stumbling Papyrus up the stairs.”

“See you tomorrow.”

* * *

 

It's been a week and Tallon and Frisk were at the door to the Ruins with Sans. Frisk was shuffling their feet in the snow.

Sans knocked on the door. “hey, don't get _cold feet_ on me now, kid.”

Tallon smiled. Frisk didn't respond.

“wanna start us off?” Sans was staring at Tallon, his bone brow raised.

She shrugged. She's been telling him more anti-jokes, which seem to be a real hit. “Sure.”

There was shuffling on the other side of the door. “Who is it?” Toriel called out.

“What do you call a dog with no legs?”

Toriel didn't respond for a moment. “...I'm not sure, my child.”

Tallon shrugged, “Doesn't matter what you call him, he isn't coming.”

“pffttt-heh!” Sans was holding a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. There was silence on the other side of the door. Frisk was looking nervous.

Tallon continued, “I was wondering why the basketball was getting bigger, and then it hit me.” That got a snort out of her. Tallon smiled and Frisk looked like they were going to cry. “Hey Tori, sorry that first one wasn't your slice of pie. Sans seems to be enjoying my anti-humor recently.”

“It's quite alright, my child. It just seems a little...harsh, for myself.”

“Frisk's here, as you requested.” Tallon waved for them to speak.

“Frisk, my child? Are you there as well?” Toriel's voice sounded higher than usual, like she was nervous.

Frisk nodded, then realized their mistake. “Yes, mom, I'm here.”

Sans waved for Tallon to walk with him, “we'll let you two chit-chat.”

No one protested as they teleported to his station. “Hey, Sans, ask me if I'm a tree.”

He was already grinning, “are you a tree?”

Tallon looked herself over. “Nope.” Sans was shaking his head. Tallon looked towards the gate. “Do you think they're alright?”

“can't say for sure, but pap mentioned they've been calling for her in their sleep.”

Tallon nodded. The brothers offered them their couch when they were running low on funds and they accepted. Frisk would have nightmares sometimes, and in the Ruins it was Tori who would comfort them. Tallon had no clue how to do any of that stuff, and Papyrus isn't always home throughout the night, so they would go to his room and curl up in his bed whether he's home or not.

After a few minutes they saw Frisk coming over the bridge, a big smile on their face and a pep in their step. “hey, buddy, how'd it go?”

They mentioned that Toriel had a message for him. “A man entered a local paper's pun contest. He sent in ten puns, hoping one of them would win. Unfortunately, _no pun in ten did_.” Sans fell back into the snow laughing. Frisk, pleased with themselves, waved to Tallon. “I'm off to find Papyrus.”

“Be careful! Stay warm!” Tallon called from their perch on the counter. Sans teleported into his station, too lazy to actually get up and walk in. He was laying on the floor staring at Tallon. “Yes?”

Sans continued to stare.

Tallon rolled her eyes. “Could you make yourself useful and hand me my book while you're down there?” She'd knocked it over when she had climbed onto the counter.

Sans didn't respond, only stared.

She was getting annoyed. He did this sometimes, though normally he had the courtesy to stare off into space somewhere else. Tallon reached down for her book.

The issue was, with her new height on the counter, the floor was now further away. As her fingers brushed the cover of the book, her balance was thrown off and Tallon fell into the station.

So now they were both sprawled on the floor.

Sans came to when Tallon landed on him, chuckling. “nice of you to _drop in_.”

“Yeah well, if you'd been listening to me then we wouldn't be having this problem.” Tallon wiggled around until she was sitting beside him, rather than laying on top of him. “Why do you do that anyway?” She brushed a bit of snow off of her book.

“'s nothin'. i just space out sometimes.” Sans shrugged and leaned against the wall.

Tallon didn't really believe that, but she let it slide. Thus was the nature of their friendship. They asked, they told, they backed off when they knew to. “What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?” Tallon asked, and began reading her book.

Sans didn't know how to respond.

* * *

 

After a few days Tallon could tell Frisk was getting antsy to move on. She found them wandering around the edge of town several times, looking out into the fog but not stepping into it. _I Do Believe They Are Ready To Proceed To Waterfall._ “If you're ready to move on then tell me, kid. I can't read your mind.”

Frisk hesitated, “But...you're happy here.”

Tallon raised her eyebrow. “I was happy at the Ruins too, but that didn't stop you.” Frisk looked guilty. “Besides, even if we move forward, that doesn't mean we can't come visit them when we have the chance.”

Frisk nodded. “We should tell them then...”

“And Tori. We did promise...”

“...alright.”

* * *

 

Papyrus was trying to convince Frisk that there was no need for them to progress. He seemed nervous, or maybe scared?

Sans was cool about it, mentioning that he had a few other stations along the way if they ever wanted to stop by. Tallon has been hanging out with him for three weeks now and has never seen him anywhere but in Snowdin. But then, he could only have them set up so he could watch them.

When they told Toriel a few days later she seemed to agree that it was time to move on. “You are doing well, my children. Be strong.”

Papyrus and Sans escorted them to the edge of town.

Frisk didn't want to let go when Papyrus hugged them.

“Promise you won't forget us?” Tallon asked, smiling.

“I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD NEVER FORGET SUCH WONDERFUL FRIENDS!!”

She winked at Sans. “Knock knock.”

Papyrus was already growling, “WHO IS THERE?”

Tallon looked hurt, faking a sob as she threw herself into his arms. “You've...you've already forgotten me...”

Sans laughed, but the joke seemed to have gone over Papyrus's head because he started panicking, explaining that he was just responding to the joke as he was supposed to and that it did not reflect his remembrance of her.

“see ya later, shorty.” Sans said as she hugged him next.

“Hey! I'm three inches taller than you.”

They laughed. Frisk pulled on her sleeve. “Do you have room in your bag for my jacket?”

Papyrus nodded, his hand resting on his hip. “AH YES, GOOD POINT TINY HUMAN! WATERFALL IS CHILLY, BUT NOT AS BAD AS SNOWDIN! YOU MAY NOT NEED YOUR COAT...”

Tallon folded it like a shirt and tucked it into the hood to create a pillow-like structure. It fit perfectly into the top of her bag. “Let's go, kid.”

They waved at the brothers as they entered the cave.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's This? An Update?  
> It feels a little rushed, but there's only so many antics these kids can get into without dragging it on forever. Besides, this isn't the last we see of them and we all know it.  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? You know what to do.  
> -JM


	14. A Door?

“haven't seen you kids in a while, how's it goin'?” Sans was lounging in a station just 20 feet inside Waterfall. Tallon didn't know whether to laugh or scream in frustration. She settled for sighing.

Frisk, never having teleported with Sans, was jumping around his station asking for a trip. “sure kid, it's about time for a break anyway. let's go to grillby's.” With a wink to Tallon he took the kid's hand and pulled them towards what will probably be Grillby's door.

Tallon realized too late that she was now left alone. She didn't know how to feel about that. Sure, she was left alone plenty of times in the Ruins and Snowdin, but that was _after_ she had been lead around by either Frisk or a local monster.

_ I Am Here, You May Proceed. _

Tallon squared her shoulders and began to look around. It was mostly what you'd expect a cave in an underground world of monsters to look like. It was a cave, so it was dark and her steps sort of echoed against the rocks. But it was also a _monster_ cave, so it was lit in a deep purpleish-blue, with bright blue crystals sticking out of the rocks. She understood rather quickly why it was called Waterfall, what with several waterfalls entering a stream as they'd entered the cave and another one off to her side now, and she had a feeling there would be plenty more. MK was running around, and a monster she hasn't met was leaning against the wall beside a glowing blue flower.

_ Lean In Closely To Listen To The Flower. _

_Does the flower talk...?_ It wouldn't really be much of a surprise. At this point, Tallon doubted anything could surprise her.

_ Just...Listen. _

So Tallon did. She faintly head a male voice: “ _All that gives my life validation is explaining the Echo Flower...No one can know..._ ”

“What the-”

“ _What the-_ ” the flower echoed back.

“Never trust a flower...that's one of the constants of this world.” The Monster beside her mumbled, his cheeks flushed.

Tallon smiled, waving a hand towards the flower echoing him. “So what is this, then?”

His blush deepened. “It's an Echo Flower. It repeats the last thing it heard, over and over...” The flower echoed him softly. He smiled at it, “Neat, huh?”

Tallon agreed.

 _I think there's time for me to explore by myself before they come back_ , Tallon thought, looking over at Sans's station.

_ I Do Not Think That Would Be Wise. We Are In Undyne's Territory Now, And She Is Very Powerful And Very Loyal To King Asgore. _

_If there's one thing I think I can do, it's avoid confrontation,_ Tallon joked, thinking about how her SOUL seems to be protected from any form of Monster battles.

_ Magic Can Still Effect You Outside Of Battles, Do Not Expect The Captain Of The Royal Guard To Play Fairly When Your SOUL Is The Underground's Last Hope. _

Tallon hesitated, but the faint sounds of rushing water drew her forward.

_ Don't Say I Didn't Warn You. _

* * *

 Tallon was glad to find a dimensional box full of their goodies from the Ruins and Snowdin. In her bag was a couple cinnabunnies and a full jug of spider cider. She felt she had enough for a tromp through the caves. She stood in front of a little river, small rocks flowing down one waterfall, past her, and then down the next. She was contemplating if she could jump over it or if she should just roll up her pants and remove her footwear...

Deciding her hiking boots would take to long to take off and put on, and that she wanted to explore a little before the kid found her, she took a running start and jumped-

-and God bless the balance she'd gained from climbing because she landed on her toes on the other side, her body naturally wanting to fall backwards. She spun on her toe, falling on the hard rock rather than into the water. She was laughing. _This!_ This was what she loved about climbing, about hiking, about _existing_. That little burst of confidence, the I-can-do-zat _rush_. And when you prove yourself right? It's so _much better!_

Tallon stood, a big smile on her face, and moved on.

* * *

 She didn't quite expect this situation. She was kneeling in a patch of tall grass, MK was tucked into her side, and Papyrus was chatting with an armored figure on a ledge above them. MK was doing his best to keep quiet, but he kept wiggling in excitement about seeing his hero –the Captain of the Royal Guard: _Undyne_.

“WELL HELLO THERE, UNDYNE! FANCY RUNNING INTO YOU HERE...YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU LIVE AND WHERE I BRING YOU MY DAILY REPORT!!” Tallon could tell he was nervous about something. If she could tell after less than a month with the skeleton, who knows what Undyne could tell about his rambling after _years_ of friendship...”SO! HERE I AM! TO GIVE YOU MY REPORT!” Tallon couldn't hear the reply, but she could hear Papyrus's bones rattling a little. “A-A HUMAN? N-NO! NO I DIDN'T SEE ANY TODAY! UM...” He paused as Undyne responded. “OH! SO I DID..UM. WELL...I DIDN'T SEE ANY TODAY BECAUSE THEY-” He sighed, “I LET THEM GO.” There was a shout of rage. “WELL! YOU SEE...I MEAN WE DON'T HAVE TO DESTSROY THEM BECAUSE THEY...” He was interrupted. Tallon could hear that Undyne was talking but couldn't make out anything she was saying. Finally Papyrus said, “I UNDERSTAND...I'LL HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN...” Before she heard him walking away.

She let out a sigh, rustling a nearby tuft of grass. There was a banging noise from above and the sound of Undyne's SOUL was louder. _Shit..._ Tallon held MK close, keeping them still. She held a finger to her lips to tell him to keep quiet.

That minute felt like an hour. Tallon was shaking from holding still for so long, MK was getting restless again. Finally they heard stomping from above, and the sound of Undyne's SOUL faded away...

MK burst out of the grass first, running around in circles before falling on his face. Tallon helped him up. “YOOOOOO!!! That was so cool!”

Tallon was unsure about them going further into the cave without supervision, “Why don't you wait here for Frisk so you can tell them all about it?” MK and Frisk have been friends from day one, often exploring together before hanging out with Papyrus. MK was starting to really like Papyrus, who he dubbed as “pretty cool but no one could ever be as cool as Undyne”. She rubbed his head, scratching behind one of his scales, before moving on.

There was another little stream that Tallon jumped over, the voice pointing out that she was supposed to make a bridge out of the flowers she passed by, not to just jump over the gaps, but Tallon argued that Frisk liked puzzles and would enjoy making the bridge.

The next room Tallon could recognize from a few descriptions Toriel had given them back at the Ruins. Somewhere around here there was a little bench that she would sneak off to, but Tallon would wait for Frisk to go looking for that. She jumped over the stream of water, once again ignoring the bridge puzzle, and walked through a doorway that lead to a small room with several echo flowers and a telescope.

Tallon stayed quiet in this room, not wanting to disrupt any of the flower's messages. The first began to echo as she passed. “ _A long time ago, monsters would whisper their wishes to the stars in the sky. If you hoped with all your heart, your wish would come true. Now, all we have are these sparkling stones on the ceiling..._ ”

She wanders over to the telescope, listening to the flowers.

“ _Thousands of people wishing together can't be wrong! The king will prove that._ ”

“ _C'mon, sis! Make a wish!”_

“ _I wish my sister and I will see the real stars someday...”_

The telescope was set to look up at the ceiling, revealing crystals strewn across it in a star-like pattern. Tallon got out her camera, angling it just right against the telescope and taking a picture of a beautiful cluster of crystals she found.

She left the room as quietly as she could, finding a walkway of wooden planks. There was a sea of water around her now, the room and rocks making it look black as night. At the end of the walkway was a little square raft, floating in the water.

_ It Will Take You Across, But You Will Not Be Able To Return The Same Way. If You Continue, You Will Have To Find Another Way to Explore These Past Areas With The Child. _

Tallon shrugged. They were going to explore everything anyway so she might as well go forward. As she stepped onto the raft, the voice instructed her to continue walking forward, as though it were a normal bridge. Tallon complied, the raft moving underneath her. On the other side waited a monster, similar to MK...but gray? As she stepped onto the other dock, the raft pulling away from her and back to where she came, she noticed that they had no pupils. “Yo! You're a ??? too, right?” It's voice was garbled, almost as if they were glitching out of existence as they spoke.

 _That's...Not Supposed To Be There..._ The voice sounded almost angry.

Tallon opted to ignore the glitching gray monster and move on. As she walked, she got that feeling of being watched again, similar to when she was about to meet Sa-

An arrow landed inches in front of her, glowing as blue as the echo flowers. Tallon was suddenly surrounded by the sound of Undyne's SOUL. She ran.

Arrows flew passed her, missing her but coming too close for comfort. She wieved across the dock, jumping over gaps to try and save some time, running around corners that were too large for her to jump safely. She back tracked several steps when three arrows zipped in front of her, missing her nose by mere inches.

Jump, tuck, roll, run. Jump, land, run. There was a stretch of dock left before Tallon found herself in another patch of long grass. She squatted, manuvering herself so that she wouldn't be given away by flattened grass, and waited. She could hear Undyne stomping around, looking for her. Tallon kept silent as she continued moving forward. As she nears the other end of the grass, she heard Undyne growl in frustration and stomp in the other direction. She waited until she couldn't hear Undyne's SOUL before climbing out.

Tallon sat on the little strip of dock to her right and tried to catch her breath. She listened to the sound of Waterfall's collective SOULs and felt calmer. It was gentle, almost as though the crystals themselves were being used as a xylophone to convey their longing for something more. When Tallon could breathe easy again she moved on.

There was a plate of cheese inside of a crystal beside a mouse hole. Tallon took a picture of it, amused. The echo flower mimicked the mouse's squeak from inside its little hole in the wall. Tallon got a picture of the glowing flower with a few crystals peaking in the background and smiled. The Underground was so beautiful...

_ Tallon, Maybe It Is Time To Find A Way Back...I'm Sure Frisk Is Looking For You... _

The voice sounded nervous, but Tallon shrugged. _They'll find me when they find me. I'll just go a little longer..._

* * *

There was a gray door in the wall of the cave. Tallon couldn't stop staring at it. The voice was telling her to just ignore it, that it wasn't time, that she should be worrying about finding Frisk, that she should not be reaching out to touch it-

Tallon collapsed onto the ground.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that! Tallon gets to explore all on her own! And Everything goes horribly wrong!  
> I'm glad you guys are enjoying her as a character. So I thought I'd let you see a little more of her, this time alone. I want to point out that her reasoning for climbing and such seems to have changed...hmmmm I wonder what that could mean...  
> Anyway, questions? Comments? Concerns? Just wanna chat? You know the drill,  
> -JM


	15. Silent Exploration

She was being shaken. When she opened her eyes she was back at the Inn, Frisk's smiling face hovering over her. “It's time to go.”

Tallon didn't question how they got into the locked door. She got her stuff and followed Frisk through the quiet town.

* * *

Sans was nowhere to be seen at the entrance of Waterfall, and even the echo flower was silent. Frisk lead her to the river she knew she could jump over and splashed towards the waterfall. They disappeared behind it, coming back moments later holding a tutu. They shook their head, disappointed, and handed it to Tallon. “You use it.”

Tallon was starting to feel ridiculous with all these accessories but complied, slipping the tutu on over her sweatpants. The bright pink material looked nice against the black pant, but clashed with the blue, purple, and gray stripes on her shirt. She thought about asking for a moment to change, having been wearing this outfit since leaving the Ruins, but decided against it. She did ask for a moment to move some stuff around in the dimensional box.

“That's fine. I have some stuff to do up ahead anyway.”

Tallon watched them wander off, now wearing some faded leather gloves. It took Tallon a moment to recognize them as the ones the tough gloves, they were covered in dust...

She turned to the box, storing away a few of their snacks. She had half her bag empty now, in case they found more. She didn't see Frisk coming back any time soon, and found the short sleeve shirt she'd worn in the Ruins and a pair of capri pants. Waterfall was very similar to the Ruins, but Waterfall had a draft from the water. She took off her boots, setting them and her bag by the dimensional box. With her clothes tucked against her chest and her jacket over her head to block the water, she dashed through the river and behind the waterfall.

She changed before squatting next to one of the glowing mushrooms. She touched it, mesmerized by its soft texture, but pulled her hand back when it stopped glowing. She tapped the top of it again and let out a sigh of relief when it began to glow. She gathered her other clothes, threw the jacket over herself again, and dashed back to the box.

Her stuff was still neatly pilled beside it, and Frisk was back. They were leaning against the wall, smiling, their arms crossed. The gloves looked even more dusty. Tallon felt sick. “Good, you changed. It's not cold enough for a jacket anyway. Ready to go?”

Tallon stored her winter wear in the box, laced up her boots, and tightened her bag. She jumped over the river, looking back at a grinning Frisk. They walked through the water, not caring about their now soaked shoes, and led her forward.

* * *

There was no Papyrus and Undyne talking on the ledge. Papyrus was dead. Undyne must have already left. MK was nowhere to be found, probably either on his way home or heading deeper into Waterfall. Tallon was really hoping he went home.

The bridges were already made, so they didn't stop on their trek forward. The echo flowers were silent. There was no gray figure at the edge of the dock.

There were still arrows to dodge.

Frisk ran along the dock, grinning, seeming to have fun. Tallon followed behind them, too emotionally drained to follow the route she had before. She dove into the tall grass, almost smacking into MK. _Ah. This is where they ran off to._ Frisk pulled her a little further into the grass, motioning for her to stay quiet.

She heard Undyne coming closer, the stomping stopped but the music continued. She could see the top of her helmet peaking over the grass. She was close...

Tallon saw the helmet duck before pulling a yellow head above the grass. _MK..._

Undyne set him down and growled, the sound sending shivers down Tallon's spine. The stomping continued now, the music moving away from them. Frisk pulled her forward. MK dashed out behind her, running around in an excited circle. “Yo...did you see that!? Undyne just...” He gave a little wiggle of excitement, “TOUCHED ME! Oh man, I'm never washing my face again!” He looked over at Frisk, “Man, are you unlucky. If you were standing just a LITTLE bit to the left...!”

“Nah, I think you deserved to see her up close and personal more than us,” Tallon pointed out, not wanting to explain that they didn't want to run into her again. He was just so excited...

“Yo, don't worry! I'm sure we'll see her again!” MK wiggled Tallon's hand off his head before running ahead.

Frisk motioned for them to move on.

* * *

Tallon was now lost. She had been following Frisk across the docks, admiring the luminescent waters around them, and when she looked up Frisk was nowhere to be seen. She wandered around on her own, eventually finding a little strip of walkway surrounded by dark waters. She could faintly hear music again, and distant, echoing sounds of machinery and waterfalls...

* * *

There was a stone statue illuminated by a spotlight against the wall. Drops of rain slowly eroding its edges...

Tallon was hard pressed to walk away from it.

She found a bin of umbrellas, choosing a red one and ran it back to the statue. She tucked the umbrella into a crevice in its arms, and was stunned when a little music box began to play. She stayed there for a minute, listening to the bell-like tones echo around her...

She could almost imagine a piano accompaniment...

Tallon was startled when a hand touched her sleeve. She looked down to see Frisk's bare hand on her arm. “We can keep going now.” Tallon nodded.

Frisk pulled out another red umbrella, waiting for Tallon to grab one (she chose purple) as well before moving forward into the rain.

“Yo, you got an umbrella? Awesome!” Tallon waved for MK to join her under hers, finding him tucked into a dry corner. Frisk just marched on in silence. MK was rambling on about Undyne, so Tallon pretended to listen.

As they walked, MK held back for a minute, distracted by an echo flower. “So one time we had a school project where we had to take care of a flower. The king –we had to call him 'Mr. Dreemurr' –volunteered to donate his flowers. He ended up coming to the school and teaching the class about responsibility and stuff. That got me thinking...YO! How COOL would it be if UNDYNE came to school!? She could beat up ALL the teachers!!”

Tallon laughed, pulling MK back under her umbrella and walking along. “That would be pretty cool, kid...”

“Well...maybe she wouldn't beat up all the teachers...she's too cool to ever hurt an innocent person!” MK amended, smiling.

Tallon scratched behind his scales. Frisk ignored them.

The cave suddenly opened up, allowing them to see miles in the distance. The ceiling was sparkling like the night sky, between them and the castle was an ocean of glowing water...

Tallon and MK stopped to take in the sight. Frisk kept walking.

They found them looking up at a ledge, their umbrella tossed on the ground. MK rushed forward, “Yo, if you want you can climb on my back to get up there!” Frisk did not hesitate, tugging on MK's scales and almost kicking him in the face when they stepped on the ledge. “Yo, try not to be so rough haha.” Frisk ignored him, walking ahead. Tallon knelt by MK, turning him around to see his scales. “Yo, I'm fine. They just pulled a little hard is all.”

“Do you want me to pick up up and carry you? I can climb the ledge easy.”

“Nah, I'm gonna find another way around. Yo, maybe I'll run into Undyne again!” MK jumped around in excitement before running off, almost falling before Tallon set him upright. She shook her head, watching him leave, before turning back to the ledge.

It came to her shoulders. She smiled, _piece of cake._ She took a running start, jumped, tucked, and rolled as she hit the ledge. She checked her bag, making sure she didn't bust any of their goods, before looking for Frisk.

* * *

And she found them running around on the docks, those glowing arrows popping up all around them. She sprinted to catch up. Undyne was chasing them on the lower dock, her SOUL loud and powerful. She noticed Tallon and began shooting arrows at her as well. Tallon was able to jump between some docks, avoiding most of the arrows every time, keeping an eye on Frisk and staying as close as she could. They were smiling again.

They ended up on a large platform, Undyne hidden below them, her attacks spread wider. Tallon caught up to Frisk and ran beside them. They found another dock on the other side, Undyne's SOUL sounding close.

It was a dead end. There was a familiar stomp behind them. Tallon glanced back and saw Undyne towering over them. A row of arrows cut the dock, sending her and Frisk down down down...

She didn't know why she ever liked the idea of falling.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lookie there, an update. And yes, This Frisk does make sure Tallon isn't around when they go on their little killing sprees. They don't want her crying all over the place. Crying annoys them.  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below, I'll see what I can do for ya,  
> -JM


	16. Orange Child

She was being shaken. When she opened her eyes, Frisk's face filled her vision. She sat up, backing away from them, “Frisk! What –where...” She frantically looked around the room, noting the burgundy walls, the grass green couch, the blue jacket across her lap. She could hear shuffling in the kitchen, the sound of pots and pans clattering against each other. She felt calmer and calmer at each discovery.

Sans was leaning against the other arm of the couch, holding out her bag. Tallon took it, shifting everything around until she found the toy knife and one of the tough gloves. Her shoulders relaxed. She smiled at Frisk, “Hey kid, sorry about that...uh...was having nightmare...” She trailed off, setting her bag down.

“It's alright, we're just glad you woke up...” Frisk was shuffling their feet, looking anxious.

Sans waved for Tallon's attention. “we found you collapsed in waterfall not too far from one of my stations. you've been unconscious for a few hours, but we don't know how long you were laying on the floor before we found you.”

_ I Warned You About The Door. _

“The door...” Tallon's memory was fuzzy, but she could still see the outline of the gray door against the cave walls.

Sans looked confused, “what door?”

“The...there was a gray door...” Tallon's head was beginning to hurt. “I...I tried to touch it but...” She pressed a fingers against her forehead, covering her face in the process, trying to massage away the pain. Bony fingers circled her wrists. Tallon peeked at Sans, now sitting on the edge of the couch beside her, between her fingers. She didn't notice the tears rolling down her cheeks. “My...my head...”

_ Do Not Think About The Door, It Will Subside. _

“'s alright, just...” Sans started, but was cut off by a triumphant Nyeheh from the kitchen. Tallon stiffed her laughter.

“Knock knock...” she mumbled, looking down at San's fingers still holding her wrists. He was warm...

“who's there?”

“What?” She asked, looking up.

“what who?” Sans was visibly confused.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Tallon pouted so that she wouldn't smile.

“you...you said knock knock...”

“Who's there?” Tallon looked towards the door, her resolve starting to crack. Frisk was already giggling.

“wha-” Sans looked to the floor, thuroughly confused. Papyrus was in the doorway to the kitchen, grinning.

“HUMAN! YOU HAVE BESTED MY BROTHER AT HIS OWN GAME!! CONGRADULATIONS!!”

Sans chuckled, letting go of Tallon in order to teleport by his brother's side. “i guess we should give them a prize for besting me, huh?”

“EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING, BROTHER!! I'VE JUST FINISHED PREPARING MY FAMOUS SPAGETTI!!” He turned back to the kitchen to ready everyone's plates.

Tallon folded Sans's jacket, setting on the couch as she stood. Frisk was standing off to her side. “I'm glad you're alright...”

Tallon ruffled their hair before pulling them into a hug. “Thanks for finding me, kid...” She waved towards the kitchen, “now let's go eat.”

* * *

 

Tallon went for a walk alone after they ate. She wanted to listen to the sound of Snowdin, to assure herself that she's back in her actual timeline. She hummed along to the music, trying to put words to the melody, and wandered in the snow. Sans had given her his jacket because it was colder at night in the snow. She kept the hood up and her hands in the pockets. It was so warm...

_ I Know Someone Who Will Cheer You Up. Turn Up Here... _

Tallon avoided the patches of ice and turned where the voice indicated. On a little patch of snow beside the river was a snowman. She smiled. It smiled back. “Ah, hello, are you a traveler?” It said. Tallon nodded. “Would you mind...” it took a handful of itself off with it's little stick hands and held it out, “would you mind taking a piece of me and bringing it with you? I wish to travel, but I cannot move...”

Tallon took the piece, carefully tucking it in her pocket. It was solid, and didn't melt in the warmth. “Alright.”

The snowman was delighted, “Oh thank you, thank you. Please, take good care of me.”

Tallon waved goodbye and headed back to town, a smile on her face.

* * *

 

The welcome sign was in Tallon's sight. A child ran past her and with a bandanna and gloves...

Tallon followed them. She watched the figure, it's features and clothes tinted orange, as it entered the Snowdin Shop. She entered, taking a deep breath as she was surrounded by the scent of sweets, and noticed that the figure was gone.

“Tallon, it's been a while! Frisk said they found you unconscious in Waterfall, how're you doin' honey?” The shopkeeper cooed. She came around the counter to hug Tallon.

“I'm alright, just thought I'd take a walk to tire myself out now.” Tallon smiled. It wasn't a lie, she wasn't that tired after being unconscious for so long. “Say, do you have any gloves or something? Frisk's are a bit tight...” She said, pretending she didn't already know where the glove and bandanna was.

The bunny's nose twitched as she thought, her eyes wandering around the shelves. “A-ha!” She pointed with her ear, then moved Tallon over to the back wall. “I had a kid trade this in for some food once, so they might be a better fit for the youngin.” She held out the a tough glove, “But I haven't the faintest idea where it's match is...” She looked at Tallon, her smile weary.

Tallon clapped her hands together, feigning excitement. “I actually have it in my bag! I found it out in the Forest.”

Her companion clapped her furry paws together, the sound quite, “Well look-it-there. I'll go set it by the register, need help finding anything else?”

Tallon shook her head, “I'll look around myself, thank you.” She wandered around the shelves, trying not to make it obvious she knew where to find the bandanna. In this timeline, she hasn't seen it yet. In the other, she stole it...

Eventually she came across it while wandering, laughing at the abs drawn on it. It really was rather cute. She brought it to the counter, saying the drawing reminded her of Frisk and that they just had to have it. She paid for the items, chatting with the shopkeeper about her sister's job at the inn, then said goodnight.

* * *

 

Back at the brother's house, she found Frisk and Papyrus watching a Mettaton show. She handed them the bandanna, helping them tie it around their neck, and tucked the glove into her bag with it's match. She flipped through the photos she had, grouping them by location.

“did you enjoy exploring waterfall before you passed out?” Sans said in her ear. Tallon jumped, almost hitting his jaw with her shoulder. He chuckled, sitting on the stairs beside her. “sorry,” he didn't sound sorry, “is...is this...” Sans reached out for one of the pictures that fell out of her hand. It was the hills at the top of the mountain; there was a corner of the hole Tallon fell in at the bottom. “is this the surface?”

Tallon nodded, pointing to the black abyss. “And this is where I j-fell.” She almost said jumped, glancing over at Frisk. They were leaning against Papyrus, their head nodding forward before snapping back up. Papyrus was yawning.

Sans was too mesmerized by the picture to notice. “it's so bright...” His eyes were wide, full of awe, his smile gentle.

Tallon placed a hand over his, covering a corner of the picture, “You'll see it in person one day...” Sans met her eyes. “I'll make sure of it.”

His cheeks were a light blue. They stayed there, staring at each other, long enough for Frisk and Papyrus to finally fall asleep.

“i should...” Sans mumbled, still not looking away, “i should probably get pap to bed...”

Tallon nodded, her eyes still on his, “Yeah, I should probably get to bed too...”

They didn't move.

Tallon realized her hand was still resting on his. She blushed. Sans finally broke eye contact to look at her cheeks. At least...Tallon hopped it was her cheeks...

Frisk rolled off the couch, causing them to snap out of their trance. Sans teleported to them, checking their head. Tallon put her things back into her bag before joining him, giving them both a moment to calm down.

They were still asleep, curling into Sans chest. When Tallon lifted them her hand brushed Sans knee and they both blushed again. She sat Frisk back on the couch, throwing their blanket over them, and began to shake Papyrus's shoulders. “Hey, Pap? C'mon, it's time to go to bed.”

Sans was still sitting on the floor, nudging his brother's boot. “c'mon bro.”

Papyrus opened his eyes at his brother's voice, stretching out his bones before realizing Sans was on the floor. Before he could complain, he noticed Frisk asleep beside him and settled for shaking his head at his brother. Papyrus swept Sans off the floor and tucked him under his arm. Tallon was surprised when Pap gave her a quick nuzzle on the cheek, the closest he could manage to a kiss without lips, before going to his bedroom, Sans already asleep under his arm.

She smiled. She'd seen Papyrus nuzzle at Frisk on several occasions, and she'd watched the brother's occasionally comfort each other the same way, but neither of them had given her a skelekiss. It was sweet.

She lifted Frisk again, making room for herself on the couch before setting them down. They were like a scared sibling, quick to curl up on her chest for warmth and support. She fell into a, thankfully, dreamless sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, an update. Sorry for the wait guys, writing this has sort of motivated me to write a few other things as well. But I wont abandon this, so don't worry.  
> And look, actual tension between Tallon and Sans. Finally. I did warn you it was a slow burn.  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below and I'll get back to you,  
> -JM


	17. Waterfall

It's been a few days, Frisk was getting restless again, so Tallon packed. She decided to slip one of her pictures of the hills into Sans's joke book inside a quantum physics book inside...well, she put it as far into the bookception as she could get, before she and Frisk leave for Waterfall again.

Sans is not at his station this time, but Tallon expected as such (he was still snoring when they'd left the house), so they moved on together. She waves for Frisk to look behind the waterfall, holding their shoes for them so they don't get wet. They came skipping out with the tutu around their waist.

“Tallon, look! I always wanted to be a dancer!” Frisk did a little spin, almost falling into the water.

Tallon laughed. “A few days ago you always wanted to be a fighter.”

They shrug as they slip on their shoes. “I'm a kid. I change my mind a lot.” They lift their arms towards Tallon.

She lifted them into her arms, holding them closely against her body. She had to took a longer running start but still managed to jump the little river and land on the other side. They held hands as they walked.

* * *

 

They ran into MK again. He was hiding in the bushes, waiting for Undyne to do her daily rounds. He ditched his plans to join them as a tour guide through the caves. Tallon would jump ahead of them while Frisk took the time to build the flower bridges for MK. She found a hidden nook in the room Toriel had mentioned. She could see a little dock just short of the floor, that you were meant to build a bridge to it, but Tallon could also see several grooves in the rock wall that her hands and feet could fit in, and decided to use the wall rather than the flowers.

Frisk was running to her side as she was reaching for the first hand-hold. “What are you doing?”

She got her foot tucked nicely between two rocks as she said, “Climbing.”

“Why?”

“Remember when Tori mentioned a bench? I'm pretty sure it's over here.”

Frisk jumped excitedly before running to the flowers and bring each one to the water. Tallon shimmied across the wall and set her feet on the dock as Friks dropped the last one in the water, the flowers opening up into a smooth walking surface. She motioned for both kids to be quiet, noticing an echo flower, but allowed for them to roam the room. There was an abandoned quiche under the bench; Frisk refuses to leave it there, motioning for Tallon to squat so they could look through her bag. They found something to wrap it in and tucked it in next to the cinnabunnies. As Tallon waited for them to close her bag, the echo flower murmured, “ _I just wasn't ready for the responsibility..._ ”

She felt a chill run down her spine. She moved towards the dock, ready to leave the room. She dug her camera out of her bag as Frisk and MK crossed the bridge, snapped a picture of the lone bench and echo flower, and followed.

“The next room has a bunch of those flowers too, so stay quite, alright?” Tallon liked hearing the messages, they helped remind her of their larger goal: to free everyone.

They moved through the room pretty quickly, Frisk taking a moment to hold the telescope so that MK could look at the crystals before they went through the doorway together. Tallon was sure that if MK had hands they'd be holding them by now. She smiled.

MK nodded towards a little spot off to the side. “If you guys don't want to run into Undyne, which is crazy because she's so totally COOL you could ask that guy for a ride.”

“Alright, we'll do that.” She handed Frisk a few coins and gave them a little push towards the monster. “Will you be traveling this way as well, or are you going to try and see Undyne again?”

MK jumped around excitedly, “I'm going to see her again I just know it! But I'll totally meet up with you guys eventually, okay?”

They ran off before Tallon could respond. She smiled at their retreating figure before turning to find Frisk and the little monster had gone as well.

_ Do Not Fear, They Are Being Dropped Off Past The Maze. I'm Sure You'd Both Like A Break From Being Chased By Undyne. _

“Yeah...I mean, don't get me wrong, it's fun and all and honestly a great workout, but I'm getting tired of the chases yeah.”

“Hey lady, you gonna stand there all day talking to yourself or did you want a ride?”

Tallon jumped, looking down at the little purple blob. “I'm sorry. How much?”

“3 Gold to travel.” She nodded, stepping on their face and letting them carry her to the little dock past the tall grass. It handed her 3 gold. She didn't question. Frisk was trying to peak into the mouse hole to see if they could find the mouse.

“C'mon, kid. Let's keep moving.” There was no door on the wall this time, but Tallon still stopped to stare. Frisk grabbed her hand.

“Sans might be at this station if you wanna talk about it...”

“Nah, kid. Talking about the door gives me a headache.” She ruffled their hair and they moved on.

Sans was, indeed, around the corner. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed. Tallon leaned into his face, waiting. Frisk coughed politely. Sans's eyes popped open and he gave a little yelp of shock before sliding down the wall.

Tallon and Frisk laughed. Sans was shaking his head, “don't you guys know to let sleeping skeletons lie?”

“I'm pretty sure the saying is dragons, and it's because they could kill you.” Tallon held out her hand, “And from what I've seen? You're pretty harmless.” Sans eye flashed dangerously as he took her hand. He pulled her down to him, whispering into her ear.

“ _You have no idea what I'm capable of._ ”

Tallon felt her sins crawling down her back. She rocked back on her heals, her eyes wide. Sans was smiling, his pupils normal. She helped him up, dropping his hand as soon as he was standing. Frisk stood awkwardly by the telescope.

“anyway, i'm thinking about getting into the telescope business.” Sans held his hand towards the telescope, “it's normally 50000G to use this premium telescope...” Frisk looked down at their feet, disappointed. Sans had a twinkle in his eye. “but...since i know you, you can use it for free.” Frisk ran to him, taking his hands, “howzabout it?” he asked.

“Yeah!” Frisk turned to the telescope, pressing their eye against the eyepiece and rotating it a bit across the...wall?

When Frisk straightened, there was a red ring around their eye. Tallon laughed. “Hey! You tricked me!”

Sans smiled, “you aren't satisfied? don't worry, i'll give you a full refund.” Tallon let out a snort as she began to trade out some things in the dimensional box. Frisk began talking with the little monster in the corner. Tallon couldn't decide if they looked like a drop of liquid or an onion.

“What's a star? Can you touch it? Can you eat it? Can you kill it...Are you a star?” Tallon was reminded of the gray figure suddenly, that eerie feeling it gave her. She called for Frisk. They didn't mind the excuse to stop talking to the monster.

“Wanna check out up here before heading through that maze over there?”

Frisk nodded, taking the lead. Inside the little room was a small box and a bunny-like monster leaning against a rolling cart. Tallon recognized him from Snowdin. “I relocated my store, but there are still no customers...” he murmured, not noticing Frisk until they were beside him. His ears peaked up, his stance now more casual than sad, as he used his musings as a launch into his sales pitch. “Fortunately, I've thought of a solution!! Punch cards! Every time you buy a Nice Cream, you can take a punch card from the box. If you have 3 cards, you can trade them for a free Nice Cream!” He gave a cheerful laugh. “They're sure to get the customers to come back!”

Frisk clapped their hands at his idea and waved for Tallon to squat down. “Let's help him out.” Tallon agreed.

She stood, “So what is Nice Cream?”

“It's the frozen treat that warms your heart!” The bunny said, holding one out, “Now just 25G!” Tallon checked her bag of coins and found plenty for them to get three.

“Three? We have 21 different flavors, which would you prefer?” Tallon shrugged, “Alright, I'll do it blind haha!” The bunny covered his eyes with one hand and reached into his cart. He pulled out one, handed it to Tallon, pulled out the second, and third from different sections, and handed them to her as well. “There you go, three Nice Creams! Your punch cards should be in the box right over there.” His ears pointed towards the only other object in the room.

Frisk skipped over to it, opening it up to find three punch cards. They handed them to the bunny and held their hand up to Tallon. “Can I pick one?”

Tallon waited for a nod from the vendor before lifting them, holding them so they could see the colorful array of Nice Cream flavors. They looked at the ones in Tallon's hand, a blue, a purple, and a grey, and pointed at the red one. “That one, please.” Tallon set them down as he got the Nice Cream.

He knelt down and handed the Nice Cream to Frisk with a flourish, “Here you go my little friend.” He winked at Tallon as he stood, “Have a lovely day.” The Nice Cream Guy went back to leaning against his cart.

Tallon took Frisk's hand and lead them back out of the room. She dropped a few of the Nice Creams in the dimensional box before pointing towards the glowing waters. “Ready to try and figure out the maze?”

Frisk nodded, their face full of determination.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gUESS WHO FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS UP WITH THEIR WRITING PROGRAMS? ME! So expect semi-regular updates again (hopefully at least one chapter a week) and let's get this freakshow on the road again (Hancock reference, check)  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Leave it below,  
> -JM


	18. Dark Blue Child

The maze was beautiful. While Tallon knew roughly where the exit was, she allowed for Frisk to wander and get them lost before getting them found again. There was no rush with this Frisk, no risk with letting them out of her sights. They passed gently whispering echo flowers, and a blue figure twirled passed them, posing in the middle of the platform before stepping cautiously to the right. Tallon followed, Frisk watching her curiously.

The blue figure, a much deeper blue than the first one, had bright pink ballet slippers laced up it's legs. They stood on pointe, contemplating the bridge before them, before doing a lovely jump over it. Tallon walked behind them, fascinated. They did a few more twirls, a few more poses, but lost their balance on a rather low dip and fell back into tall grass.

Tallon smiled, stepping in after them to find the same pink slippers knotted around a few strands of grass. She untangled them and tucked them into her bag. “Poor thing must have been stuck here for a while before deciding to leave these here...”

_ Best Not Dwell On The Forgotten. _

There seemed to be more behind the advice than the voice wanted to explain, so Tallon let it go.

* * *

 

Frisk let Tallon lead the way through the little maze while they answered a phone call from Papyrus. She didn't hear their conversation, but noticed Frisk's nervous look when they hung up. Tallon noticed some Moldsmal ahead, “Hey kid, I see some potential friends up ahead...”

Tallon laughed as Frisk ducked around her to wiggle with the monsters. She scouted ahead while they played. She leaned against the purple walls while waiting on Frisk. They giggled as one of the Moldsmals slipped over their legs as it passed. Frisk waved at them, and Tallon noticed a little blush on the monster as it disappeared into the maze.

“Thanks...” Frisk mumbled, looking shyly over to her. “I needed that...”

Tallon shrugged. “Whatever you and Pap talked about obviously bummed you out.” She bounced her hip against the wall to straighten herself before taking Frisk's hand. They moved on.

* * *

 

Tentacles rose up from the water around them, following their progress along the path. Frisk pulled Tallon to a stop as a yellow monster peaked out of the water. “Hey...there...” it mumbled, it's eyes sparkling with excitement. “Noticed you were...here...” It was nervous, posing in a way it thought was casual but was actually very awkward. Tallon tried not to laugh. Frisk gave it an encouraging smile.

With the lack of judgment from the two humans, the monster relaxed a bit, “I'm onionsan! Onionsan, y'hear!”

Frisk waved. When the monster was silent for another minute, Tallon began to walk again. It followed in the water. “You're visiting Waterfall, huh! It's great here, huh! You love it, huh!” Tallon was annoyed by their voice but suffered quietly. They obviously didn't get many visitors and is very excited to be seeing new faces.

Frisk must have nodded, or perhaps Onionsan was used to one sided conversations, because they continued. “Yeah! Me too! It's my Big Favorite!” When Tallon glanced at them, their eyes were sparkling again. She rolled her own and continued forward.

“But the water's getting so shallow here...” Onionsan mumbled, dipping into the water to show that the top of their head was still visible. Tallon felt sorry for them, but knew that moving forward was the only way to help. “I have to sit down all the time, but...” They popped out of the water again, “He-hey! That's okay! It beats moving to the city! And living in a crowded aquarium! Like all my friends did...”

Frisk was tugging at her hand, giving her big pitiful eyes. Tallon sighed. Onionsan was teary-eyed when she turned back to face them. “And the aquarium's full, a-anyway, so even if I wanted to, I...” Tallon was about to reply when they talked over her, “That's okay though, y'hear! Undyne's gonna fix everything, y'hear!”

“Yeah...I hear.” Tallon was annoyed again, tugging Frisk forward.

“I'll get to move out of here and live in the ocean!” Frisk was trying to stop again, but Tallon saw the next room and kept them moving. “Hey...there...That's the end of this room.” They pulled short of the wall, waving awkwardly, “I'll see you around! Have a good time in Waterfallllll...” They sunk slowly back into the water.

Tallon would have jumped for joy about getting away from the monster if Frisk didn't look so bummed out. They seemed about to say something else when a fish-like monster bumped into them. The monster, a shyren apparently, was a fan of music. Frisk and Tallon hummed along with her, and Tallon noticed Sans selling tickets to passing monsters in the distance.

When Frisk finally waved goodbye to the monster, Sans was gone. They didn't believe Tallon when she mentioned his appearance either, but laughed at the idea.

“Up or forward, kid?” Tallon asked. Already knowing what was forward.

Frisk walked around the whole in the ground towards a sign on the wall. “The northern room hides a great treasure...” They read slowly. They waved for Tallon to follow as they entered the room.

“Up it is then,” She mumbled. She paused for a moment before following, a gray figure in the corner catching her attention.

_ Ignore It. _

Tallon did, learning her lesson about ignoring the voice's warnings.

In the northern room was a small piano. Tallon fiddled with the keys a bit while Frisk tried to find the hidden treasure. After several minutes of finding nothing, Tallon suggested they try the other way and look for clues.

She had a feeling she knew what to do.

* * *

 

Frisk felt sorry for the statue. Tallon suggested they find something to keep the rain away, and sent Frisk ahead. They returned with a yellow umbrella, and Tallon helped them tuck it into the rock's arms. As the water began to fall around the statue, a gentle chime began to play. Tallon recognized it from the other timeline, and remembered hearing the piano...

Frisk tugged at her sleeve. “Let's go back to the piano.”

She smiled, “Great minds think alike, kid.”

They raced back to the piano, Frisk winning when Tallon hesitated to check for the gray figure. It was gone and Frisk claimed their prize: the piano bench. They played several keys, listening to the notes they produced before turning to Tallon.

“Need some help,” she asked. They nodded. She walked towards the statue until she could hear the melody again. She listened to it loop twice before returning. She hummed it to Frisk until they could copy her. A wall slid open as they played the last note.

Frisk ran inside, Tallon on their heel. There was a red orb on a table. When Frisk attempted to touch it, the annoying dog jumped out of nowhere and took it out of their hand, running back through the doorway with the orb in it's mouth.

Frisk and Tallon were laughing on the floor until they both had tears in their eyes.

* * *

 

When they'd settled down enough to move on, Tallon grabbed a purple umbrella as they passed. “I think I can hear rain,” she explained, though she didn't. She knew from the other timeline...but Frisk didn't need to know all that. They didn't need to know that sometimes when she slept she would see them, another them, one with dust covering their hands and a glint in their eyes. They didn't need to know that there was a voice in her head giving her warnings of events she has seen and will see.

They didn't need to know, so she didn't tell them. Instead she lied, and laughed when they wanted to play in the rain rather then take another umbrella. She smiled when they ran into MK again, allowing him under her umbrella until Frisk talked him into splashing in the puddles.

She took out her camera while they played, careful to keep it under the umbrella while she took pictures of them. She walked ahead as they played, eager to see the castle again...

It was just as breathtaking this time as it had been before, only now she could stop. She could just stop and breathe and enjoy...

Frisk placed their cold, wet hand in hers and smiled up at her. “Take a picture, it'll last longer,” they joked. But she did, first of the castle with hundreds of crystals glimmering like stars around it, then of the children while they gazed up in wonder.

* * *

Aarons, Tallon decided, where one of her least favorite types of monsters. They reminded her too much of the assholes in high school who would pick on little kids. She laughed a little too much as he flexed himself into the air, putting away her umbrella with a look of joy.

“Hey, this ledge is too steep...” MK was jumping near the ledge, trying to wiggle themselves higher. “Hmmm...” he hummed, looking towards Frisk. “Yo, you wanna see Undyne, right?” Frisk shrugged. “Climb on my shoulders.”

Frisk hesitated. “Just be careful with his scales, it's be fine.” Tallon assured them, ruffling their hair. Frisk climbed carefully onto MK's shoulders, taking care to climb onto the ledge without stepping on their friend.

“Gonna stay with us or head off?” Tallon asked, putting her bag on the ledge and backing away.

MK watch her curiously, “Yo, go on ahead. Don't worry about me. I always find a way to get through!”

Tallon nodded, taking her running start and jumped, tucking in and rolling onto the ledge before bouncing back onto her feet. MK was jumping around below her. “That was so cool! Yo, you're almost as cool as Undyne!” He laughed, running off to find another way around.

Tallon flinched when he fell, but didn't jump down to help. He picked himself up and kept running. She grabbed her bag, then Frisk's hand. She felt bad that she couldn't warn them about what was up ahead. Still maybe she could...“Hey Frisk?”

“Yes?”

“Want a piggy-back ride?”

Frisk's face lit up, but they didn't let go of her hand. “But I'm too big for those...”

Tallon laughed, handing them her bag. “Just hold onto this. Let me worry about everything else.” She knelt down on one knee while they clipped her bag around them, and she helped tighten the straps. As they climbed onto her back she shook her head. “You way about as much as the rest of my climbing gear, kid. Especially after I've been climbing for a while.”

Frisk was confused, “But the weight of your stuff doesn't change...”

“Nah, but the longer you hold something the heavier it starts to feel because of the strain or something. I dunno, kid, I'm not a scientist...or whoever studies stuff like that.” Tallon shrugged as best she could with them wrapped around her like a sloth.

She walked on, ready for Undyne this time.

* * *

 

Frisk tried to climb down after the first group of arrows surrounded them, fearing that they weighed too much for Tallon to run with. She proceeded to prove them wrong by sprinting forward, leaping over small gaps in the docks and weaving around the arrows as they popped up. She could hear Undyne's music all around them, echoing in the dark cave. She could also hear Undyne faintly swearing beneath them as she evaded her attacks, weaving through the docks without hitting a single arrow.

The kid was a little awkward to run with, but Tallon had the benefit of knowing where to go so she kept reassuring them it was fine. As they to the dead end, Tallon finally put them down. They stayed behind her, peering around her to watch as the shadowy figure stomped towards them. Tallon could hear that Undyne was panting under her helmet, small puffs of steam filtering out the bottom.

Tallon smiled, Undyne growled. With a swipe of her arm, a row of arrows cut through the dock, dropping both humans into darkness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update! Hoorah! Hopefully I'll be able to start updating regularly again. I'm shooting for at least one chapter a week!  
> Questions, comments, concerns...just wanna chat? Post below,  
> -JM


	19. Gerson

_...allon...Tallon...Tallon! Come Along Now, It's Time To Wake Up. _

Tallon bolted up, the voice fading away. She was laying on a bed of golden flowers, surrounded by water. Some of the dock had fallen with them, the wood planks scattered around her. Tallon didn't see Frisk. She looked around at the water, realizing there was no way around her getting soaked. She wondered where her bag was.

She walked on, almost tripping over her pack when she stepped into the water. Her things were mostly untouched, Tallon chalking it up to monster magic voodoo, and moved forward. Ahead there were piles of garbage, with several brands she could recognize. As she waded through the water, she called for Frisk. Half hopping they wouldn't answer.

As she walked, Tallon found herself peaking into the piles of trash, curious about what the monsters have been exposed to from human culture.

There was a surprising amount of anime.

There was angry shouting up ahead, but Tallon didn't rush towards it. She knew that Frisk...this Frisk, would handle it, and that she didn't want to be there when they did. Instead she rummaged in the trash some more. She found a few packs of astronaut food and stuffed them in her bag. The yelling stopped. There was a moment of hush, then a sound of dust.

Tallon found Frisk shaking off the ballet shoes, dust and water rolling off them in equal parts. She felt queasy.

"Oh, you're awake. Good." Frisk waved for her to follow, that nerve racking smile on their face. "If you want to explore a bit, you may. But I doubt you'll find anything. There's a vender over there if you want to buy more provisions." Frisk waved her towards a little hole in a wall. Tallon nodded, too tired to speak.

Frisk wandered around. Tallon went into the hole. There was an old turtle-like monster behind the counter. His eyes all knowing. "So, you came here. What a treat!" He cackled, his voice dripping in something close to disdain. "Ah, but you're not the child are you?" Tallon shook her head. "Then you are more welcome here, my child." His smile was kinder now.

"Thank you, Mr..."

"Gerson. Have a crab apple, kid. You look like you need something to ease a feelin'." The monster handed her an apple that somehow did resemble a crab.

Tallon thanked him quietly, taking a few bites.

Gerson sighed, catching Tallon's attention, "Long ago, Asgore and I agreed that escaping would be pointless...Since once we left, humans would just kill us. I felt a little betrayed when he eventually changed his mind. But now, I think...maybe he was right to. Cause after all, even though we never escaped...a human's killing us anyway, ain't that right?" He squinted towards the door, where Frisk was leaning against the wall.

"Best be careful, old man. Before you're next." Frisk's voice was distorted, sinister. Tallon didn't recognize them for a moment...

Gerson chuckled, "I've lived too long to be afraid of some _ thing _ like you." He opened his arms wide, "Try it, kiddo!"

Frisk looked angry enough to take him up on the offer, but stayed against the wall.

"I know you can't here. Knowledge like that is the only reason I've survived so long." Tallon tried to follow the logic behind the conversation, failed, and decided to just stay quiet.

"Then come outside and fight me," Frisk offered.

"Fight you?" Gerson shrugged, "Nah, I'm not a hero. Never was." He leaned against the counter, his eyes focused on Frisk. "And b'sides...these old bones aren't fit for fighting anyhoo. One attack from you, and then I'd...well..." He took a glance at Tallon's uneasy face and didn't finish the thought, before turning back to Frisk. "At least by talking to you, I've bought enough time for some of them to escape."

Tallon shied away from Frisk's low growl. They didn't even look like the child she knew, from this time or the other. Their eyes had an almost red tint to them...

"Not a hero, you say? Sounds like you're trying to be."

"I'm not a hero." Gerson glanced towards the door, "But I know there's someone out there. Someone who'll never give up trying to do the right thing, no matter what." Tallon thought of Undyne. "There's no prophecy or legend 'bout anyone like that. It's just something I know is true. That someone like that will strike you down."

Frisk stormed out. "Good riddance," the monster gruffed, sagging against the counter. "Talking to something like that...really drains an old man."

Tallon offered him a bite of the apple, which he accepted. "I'm sorry..." she offered.

"None of this is your fault, kiddo." Gerson waved a hand towards the drawing on the wall. "We all knew we'd be gifted with an angel or a demon. Guess we got the short end of the stick." Gerson rummaged around underneath his counter before pulling out a notebook and a set of glasses. "Here, take these."

Tallon took the items, glancing at the glasses before flipping through the notebook. It was mostly scribbles, a handwriting that was too slanted for Tallon to read. It also might have been in a different language, she noticed. "Thank you," she murmured.

"These," Gerson started, pointing at her ribbon, bandana, and tutu before putting his hand on the glasses, "are defensive items. And there's no harm in addin' another to your collection." He waved his hand towards the door with one hand and touched the notebook with the other. "The kid has a lot of the weapons, so maybe you should equipt yourself with one." He winked, "Stay safe out there, kiddo."

Tallon nodded, but knew in her gut that Frisk was waiting outside for the notebook. She put the glasses on her face, relieved they were a low prescription and didn't affect her eyesight. "Thank you, Gerson."

She left the shop with a few more crab apples and some sea tea in her bag. She put a few in the dimensional box by the shop door, half surprised that Frisk wasn't waiting for her, but mostly pleased. She hoped that they would calm down while away from her, so she didn't feel that crawl on her skin that came with the red in their eyes.

* * *

 

Ahead there was a light maze. Tallon took her time exploring it, wondering from mushroom to mushroom to light her path. When given the option to go up or down, she wandered downwards. There was a hidden room in the rocks, but like everything else in this timeline, it was empty. The music was sluggish, putting Tallon's teeth on edge.

She found a shop sign and wandered inside. "hOI!" called the monster, "Welcom to...da TEM SHOP!!!"

Tallon waved at the...catlike monster. "Hello..." Tallon looked at the scribbles on the box, assuming they were the items Tem was selling. She pulled out her bag of coins, which Frisk added to every so often. It was heavy, which made Tallon queasy. She bought some tem flakes, and put them in the dimensional box outside. "bOI!" Tem called.

Tallon went back up to the light maze.

* * *

Further along there were glowing, purple crystals. Tallon made a note to take a picture of it in the other timeline, unwilling to pause in her search for this Frisk. Eventually she was dropped into water again. Then everything went dark. She heard a familiar excited shout ahead. "Yo!!! You did it!!! Undyne is  _ right  _ in front of you!!! You've got front row seats to her fight!!!"

Tallon found herself running towards them.  _ Don't you dare hurt MK you little... _

"...wait...who's she fighting?" Tallon pressed against the wall as Undyne came by, pulling a disgruntled MK behind her. She paused, turning to Tallon. MK smiled. Tallon waved. They continued walking. "H-hey!" he cried, but didn't really seem to mind being pulled around by his hero. She could hear him begging her not to tell his parents as they left her sight.

Frisk was still by the echo flower, waiting. "Finally," they grumbled, holding out their hand, "the notebook, please."

Reluctantly, Tallon pulled the notebook out of her bag and threw it towards them. They caught it, flipped through the pages, and tucked it under their arm.

"Thank you."

Tallon shrugs, and turns back towards the water. She noticed a little path of glowing grass leading upward, and figured that was the next place to go. Frisk followed.

* * *

 

Tallon paused in front of the first echo flower, allowing Frisk to go ahead of her. She saw them turn down the far end and sighed. She sat down on the ground, looking at her reflection. She had a feeling about what was up ahead. She  _ knew _ they'd have to face Undyne. She knew they...Frisk would have to...kill...her. She took a moment, listened to the faint echos of the waterfalls, and prepared herself for another soul's cry for help.

MK ran past, splashing her with water.

"MK?"

"Hey, Tallon!" he called, not stopping.

She watched him until she couldn't...

Needless to say, she started running.

* * *

"Y-you'd b-better st-stop r-right where you are...Cause if you w-wanna hurt anyone else...you're...you're gonna have to get through me, first." Tallon could see them on the other side of the bridge. "A-a-and..." She saw Frisk's SOUL emerge as MK began a fight. Something pushed past her, almost knocking her off the bridge. A helmet landed by her feet.

_ Undyne. _

Tallon manages to stay on the bridge and turned to see Undyne jump in front of Frisk's attack. Her hand flew to her mouth in shock.

"Undyne...you're...you're hurt..." MK was shaking.

"Hurt? It's nothing. Next time, listen when I tell you to leave, okay?"

"Undyne...I..." He stepped towards her.

"I'll take care of this! Get out of here!"

MK backs away slowly, unwilling to turn his back on his hero. Tallon finally moves forward to pull him towards safety. Undyne sees her and nods thankfully before turning to face Frisk. MK ran away. Tallon noticed Undyne was already beginning to dust...

"...heh...'It's nothing'...no..." She laughed. "S-somehow, with just one hit...I'm already...already..." Tallon stepped towards them. "D...damn it..." Her voice was shaky, "Papyrus...Alphys...Asgore...just like that I...I've failed you."

Tallon watched as Undyne began to blur, her SOUL unable to hold her form. Her own SOUL reaching out for her, believing in her-

"...No...my body...it feels like it's splitting apart. Like any instant...I'll scatter into a million pieces. But..." Her form began to solidify again. Frisk looked annoyed. "Deep, deep in my soul there's a feeling I can't describe. A burning feeling that WON'T let me die. This isn't just about monsters anymore, isn't it? If you get past me, you'll...you'll destroy them all, won't you? Monsters...humans...everyone. Everyone's hopes. Everyone's dreams. Vanquished in an instant. But I WON'T let you do that." Her body became solid again. Tallon felt hopeful. "Right now, everyone in the world...I can feel their hearts beating as one. And we all have ONE goal. To defeat YOU." She pointed a spear at Frisk, who was grinning that murderous grin. "Human. No, WHATEVER you are. For the sake of the whole world...I, UNDYNE will strike you down!"

Tallon watched as Undyne's form began to shake, began to turn to dust again only to reform again...

UNDYNE THE UNDYING HAS ENTERED BATTLE. "You're going to have to try a little harder than THAT." The heroine appears.

Frisk launches their next attack, three swift hits to Undyne. Tallon was helpless on the sidelines. She couldn't stand seeing Frisk's smiling face, deciding to find a way around the battle to the other side of the bridge... _ ah. _ Tallon shuffled around her bag, looking for her climbing gloves. The wind howled around her. She finally found them in the bottom, quickly tugging them on before tightening her bag onto her back.  _ The docks look steady enough, and it holds the battle well enough... _

Tallon gets a grip on the edge and launches herself down, grabbing the bridge with her other hand before all of her weight landed on the one. She let out a grunt at the unnatural weight of her bag, usually full of climbing gear rather than goodies, and the awkward outfit compared to her normal clothes...but it would have to do. Slowly, she slid her right hand down as far as she could reach...before bringing the left close again.

She shimmied along the bridge underneath the battle.

* * *

 

Tallon pulled herself back onto the bridge, only to quickly roll out of the way of an oncoming arrow. Frisk swung around and blocked it with the notebook, winking.

Tallon felt sick to her stomach when she noticed how low Undyne's health had gotten...

A volley of arrows surrounded Frisk, following their every move. They were barely touched. Every hit one of their hits landed on Undyne...  

That awful sound rang out as Frisk landed their last blow. Undyne was shaken to the core. "Damn it...so even THAT power...it wasn't enough..?" She paused, then began to laugh. Her smile was wide. "If you...if you think I'm gonna give up hope, you're wrong. 'Cause I've...got my friends behind me. Alphys told me that she would watch me fight you..." Tallon knew that gleam in her eye, that hope...that love. "And if anything went wrong, she would...evacuate everyone." Frisk was shaking, from laughter? From rage? "By now she's called Asgore and told him to absorb the six human SOULs." Tallon watched in horror as her body didn't begin to dust...but melt. "And with that power..." Undyne smiled again, her body oozing, "this world will live on..!"

Tallon felt the tears rolling down her cheeks as Undyne finally faded to dust. There was no SOUL left for her to listen to.

"Come along, then."

Tallon stayed where she was. She couldn't believe...

"Tallon. Come on."

She did as they asked, too frightened of that tone to disobey.

* * *

They walked down a long path, a welcome sign was dim at the end. Tallon held her hand up to block some of the bright light streaming into the cave. They'd reached Hotland now.

A sentry station stood abandoned ahead of them. Frisk paused beside it, and looked to Tallon. She looked down, avoiding their eye. "You look tired. You should rest. Stay here, I'll go on ahead and come back once I've explored a bit."

Tallon nodded and climbed into the sentry station. It was one of Sans', she realized. There were a few ketchup bottles tucked under the table, and a pillow in the corner. She took it and layed on the floor, her bag propped against the wall beside her.

She slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Maybe there will be regular update" I say. Then proceed to not update for weeks. I'm sorry guys, I just kinda...forget to do important things. Often. But! Here is an update, and it's pretty long, so that's nice right?  
> Questions, Comments, Concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below!


	20. Fish Out of Water and Into the Fire

Tallon bolted up, her hand quick to cover her mouth as she sobbed. She counted her breaths to calm down…

Frisk was curled up unconscious beside her. Tallon felt the tightness in her chest uncoil. They were on the flower bed, Tallon’s bag strapped to their back. She crawled over to them, brushing the hair out of their face. “Frisk?” They didn’t respond. Tallon unclipped her bag and set it aside. “Frisk?”

Finally, their eyes fluttered open. Tallon noticed a ring of red around their pupils, and felt her stomach turn. “Asri-” They paused, confused. Frisk shook their head and when they looked at Tallon, their eyes were normal. “Tallon? Where are we?”

She smiled and ruffled their hair, “From what I see? We’re at a dump.” 

Frisk nodded. They stood with Tallon’s help and looked around. Tallon clipped her bag onto her back and took their hand. “I’m afraid we’ll have to go through the water. Want to take off your shoes?” Frisk shook their head, but helped Tallon with hers. They tucked them neatly into the bag and they stepped into the water. It was only knee deep on Frisk. Tallon was glad she knew to roll up her pants. 

She didn’t have to worry about being subtle about finding the astronaut food, or the Mad Dummy. Frisk was a curious child and found them on their own. Tallon simply sat on the rock as they dodged Mad Dummy’s little cannons, maneuvering them to hit the Dummy. She laughed as the monster launched a knife at Frisk, then proceeded to realize it was the only one it had. 

“I’m...out of knives. BUT IT DOESN’T MATTER! YOU CAN’T HURT ME, I CAN’T HURT YOU! YOU’LL BE STUCK FIGHTING ME…” The monster stopped flopping around and stared into Frisk’s eyes, “Forever.” Frisk flinched. 

As the Mad Dummy began yelling again, Tallon was trying to catch Frisk’s eye and ask what was wrong. They didn’t seem injured...She felt something come up behind her, and waved at Napstablook. The shy ghost blushed and floated towards the battle. He accidentally cried acid tears on Mad Dummy. 

“...sorry, i interrupted you, didn’t i? as soon as i came over, your friend immediately left...” Frisk tried to speak but Napstablook continued moaning, “oh no...you guys looked like you were having fun…oh no...I just wanted to say hi…”

Tallon stood and waved for Frisk as Napstablook ended the battle. “Hey, kid. You okay?”

Frisk nodded, “yeah…” They busied themselves by talking to the ghost hovering beside them. “Hello Napstablook!”

The ghost nodded before looking away. “Well...i’m going to head home now…” He began to float down the trail and turned around, “oh...um...feel free to ‘come with’ if you want…”

Frisk smiled and bounced around Tallon, “Can we?”

She laughed, “We’ve got nothing else to do.”

Napstablook looked like he hadn’t expected an answer. He turned back towards the trail and lead Frisk onward. Tallon fastened her bag and followed. 

* * *

Tallon didn’t remember seeing someone in the corner of this room, but that could be because the other Frisk ki-

_ None Of That, Now. _

_ Ah, nice of you to join me. I heard your voice in the other timeline, but only once. _

_ I Have Limited Time In That World. I Had To Make Sure You Progressed In Order To Bring You Back Here. _

_ In other words, if something happens to me there I might not wake up here? _

_ Depends On What It Is That Happens To You. The Agreement Was Very Detailed. _

Tallon froze in front of the little pond.  _ What agreement? _

She could feel the shift in attitude of her talking companion.  _ Ah. Forgive Me, But I Was Not Supposed To Mention It Just Yet. Please, Forget About It For Now. _

Tallon dropped the subject, remembering the pain that disobeying an order from the voice brought. She turned to the Clam-like monster in the corner. “Hello!” 

“Hi! I’m visiting Waterfall from the city. Synchronicity…?” Tallon shrugged, The girl continued. “My neighbor’s daughter looks about your age. Her name is Suzy. I feel like you two should be friends.”

Tallon smiled and took the monster’s hand, “Well! Maybe one day I’ll be able to meet Suzy.”

“You have...a neighbor’s blessing!!!” They laughed together and waved as Tallon moved on. 

* * *

In Napstablook’s house she found them lying on the ground. “Tallon quick, come feel like garbage with us!” Frisk cried, patting the floor beside them. 

“Sounds right up my alley…” Tallon set her bag by the door and laid down between them. She felt her mind clear as they lay in silence, and felt lulled into an almost-slumber…

She was surrounded by soothing music, by twinkling stars. The galaxy unfolded before her very eyes, proving just how small she really was. She felt okay with this information.

They stayed on the ground for almost an hour. Napstablook finally mumbled something about music inspiration and moved towards his computer, breaking the peaceful silence. 

Tallon almost felt sad to leave, but promised to visit again when they were passing through. Frisk waved as she got her bag. They closed the door quietly behind them.

* * *

Tallon noticed a purple figure walking down the path. She knew where they were heading...“Let’s see...I think there’s a shop nearby, want to check it out then see what’s up with the Snail Farm over here?” Frisk had noticed it earlier when walking with Blooky, but decided to wait until the ghost wasn’t busy to ask about it.

Tallon held their hand and lead them to Gerson’s shop, eager to meet the older monster under better circumstances. 

“Woah there! I’ve got some neat junk for sale.” He called as they entered, smiling. 

“Hello mister! You’re very similar to a turtle, are you very old? Turtles can practically live forever!” Frisk asked, bouncing towards his table eagerly. 

“I’ve been around a long time. Maybe too long. Studying history sure is easy when you’ve lived through so much of it yourself! Wahaha!” Gerson chuckled. As the older monster laughed his head moved back, allowing Frisk to notice the markings behind him.

“What’s that?” They asked, pointing.

“Eh? You don’t know what that is? What are they teaching you kids in school nowadays…?” Gerson chuckled again as Frisk’s cheeks reddened. Tallon almost pointed out that they wouldn’t have learned about monster’s culture in school but stopped herself. “That’s the Delta Rune, the emblem of our kingdom. The Kingdom of Monsters. Wahaha! Great name, huh? It’s as I always say...Ol’ King Fluffybuns can’t name for beans!” 

Tallon laughed with the monster, but Frisk was waving their hands around, “Tell me more, please mister?”

Gerson looked down at them with a fond eye and continued, “That emblem actually predates written history. The original meaning has been lost to time…” The monster pointed towards the different parts as he explained, “All we know is that the triangles symbolize us monsters below, and the winged circle above symbolizes…” He paused, thinking, “somethin’ else. Most people say it’s the ‘angel’ from the prophecy…”

“A prophecy?” Tallon asked.

“Oh yeah…the prophecy. Legend has it, an ‘angel’ who has seen the surface will descend from above and bring us freedom. Lately, the people have been taking a bleaker outlook...callin’ that winged circle the ‘Angel of Death.’ A harbinger of destruction, waitin’ to ‘free’ us from this mortal realm…” Gerson glances towards the symbol on the wall. “In my opinion, when I see that little circle...I just think it looks neat!”

Tallon nodded, “It is beautiful.” Frisk tugged at Tallon’s shirt to get her attention before patting their stomach. “Hungry, kid?”

Gerson tosses them a crab apple. “Here, something to tide you over. Can’t have the little one’s starve.” 

Frisk thanked him and began eating. “Do you know much about the King?” They asked around a mouthful. 

“King Fluffybuns? He’s a friendly, happy-go-lucky kind of guy...If you keep walking around long enough, you’ll probably meet him. He loves to walk around and talk to people.”

“King...Fluffybuns?”

“Eh? Why do I call Dreemurr ‘Fluffybuns’? Oh, that’s a great story!” He was silent for a moment, then frowned. “I don’t remember it. But if you come back much later, I’m sure I’ll have remembered by then.” 

Tallon nodded and pulled out her coin purse to buy a few crab apples, some sea tea, the glasses and the notebook. She tucked the notebook into her bag and handed Frisk the glasses. “Thank you! Maybe these will help me with Undyne…” They mumbled.

Gerson peaked up, “Undyne? She’s a local hero around here. Through grit and determination alone, she fought her way to the top of the Royal Guard. Actually, she just came through here asking about someone who looked just like you…” He winked, “I’d watch your back, kids.” 

“Ready to check on the snail farm?” Tallon asked, then laughed as Frisk rushed towards the door.

“Be careful out there, children!” Gerson called before the door closed. 

* * *

“awkward...I’m working right now…” Blooky turned around and realized it was them, and blushed. “Ah, I mean...welcome to blook family snail farm...yeah...i’m the only employee .this place used to get a lot of business...but our main customer disappeared one day...now it’s just some hairy guy that shows up once a month…” 

Tallon thought of Tori and how Asgore must be the same type of monster as she. Poor guy had to start doing his own shopping because Toriel left him. In her musings she almost missed Frisk wandering forward with Napstablook. She walked after them. 

“Ah...would you like to try the snail race?” Tallon put a coin into a hat by the fence for Frisk to play. Napstablook set up the snails, allowed Frisk to choose their favorite, and moved out of the way. “3...2...1...go…”

Frisk cheered for the snail intermittently, focussing on it’s pacing and cheered louder when it crossed the finish line first. 

“you won...congratulations. here’s your prize. sorry it’s not more...we have to make a profit somehow…”

Tallon laughed and waved away the prize. “Keep it, the fun was worth the price.”

Frisk waved and they continued their way through Waterfall.

* * *

As they passed the Dimensional Box, Tallon rearranged some of their products. Frisk walked ahead. She found them contemplating the waterfall ahead, and if they could jump it. Smiling, she ran up behind them, swooped them up into her arms, and jumped over the water with them giggling in her arms, she landed on the edge of the ground and followed the momentum through, running forward and leaping over the next one as well. She set Frisk down. 

“Wanna figure out this maze alone or together?” She asked, adjusting her bag. Jumping around always knocked the straps loose. Frisk grabbed her hand when she was done and led her forward. “Together it is, then.”

* * *

 

Frisk was fairly competent when it came to mazes, and found the Temmie village in half the time Tallon had before, their curiosity working in their favor. She was a little disappointed she didn’t get any pictures, but followed them into Temmie Village nonetheless. 

There was a crowed of Temmies all introducing themselves, until they introduced the last one as...Bob?

“Uh…” Tallon didn’t know how to feel about these monsters. Frisk was already across the room, peeking at one Temmie trapped in the wall. Feeling a little weirded out by the music that the Temmies SOULs produced, Tallon waved them over. “Here, kid. You can buy a few things in the shop. I’ll be outside taking pictures.” She hands Frisk a few gold from the purse and heads back to the maze. 

Tallon shuffled through her bag until she found her camera, and checked how the low lighting of the maze would look in pictures. As the first developed , she debated walking back to the waterfalls for a couple shots. She liked the glowing effect the picture had. She got a few of the path itself, the glowing mushrooms reflecting of almost translucent grass, the light bouncing off the walls and glimmering in the trees. She made her way back to the waterfall for a few shots. 

_ Don’t Forget There Are Crystals Further In The Maze.  _

Tallon nodded.  _ I should meet back up with Frisk anyway. These are nice... _ She flipped through the pictures before tucking everything in her bag. 

* * *

Frisk was near the entrance to the maze. “Well, that was easy…” Tallon muttered, ruffling their hair. “I was just about to start looking for you.”

Frisk smiled up at her, “I thought you’d gone up ahead so I was figuring out the rest of the maze. They took her hand and walked on.

Tallon stopped them a few times to get pictures of the crystals. Frisk posed several times and waited for their picture to be taken before moving on. Tallon was starting to get the idea they were a picture hog…

Once out of the maze Tallon took lead, but as soon as Frisk saw the echo flower they bolted for it, curious and eager.  _ “Behind you.” _ it whispered. Tallon kept herself between Undyne and Frisk once the footsteps began. 

“...Seven. Seven human souls. With the power of seven human souls, our king...King Asgore Dreemurr...will become a god. With that power, Asgore can finally shatter the barrier. He will finally take the surface back from humanity...and give them back the suffering and pain that we endured…” She shook her head, holding out her arms. “Understand, humans? This is your only chance at redemption. Give up your soul...or I’ll tear it from your body.”

Tallon took a more defensive pose in front of Frisk. Undyne began to stalk forward, an arrow appearing in her hands. As she began to storm forward MK burst out of the vines against the wall. “Undyne!!! I’ll help you fight!!!” He glanced between everyone, and nodded towards Frisk. “YO!!!! You did it!!! Undyne is RIGHT in front of you!!! You’ve got front row seats to her fight!!!” He looked around again, frowning. “...wait. Who’s she fighting???” 

Undyne growled under her breath and reached forward, grabbing MK by his cheek. “H-hey!” He cried, but she ignored him. She walked him back down the path. “You aren’t gonna tell my parents about this, are you?”

Tallon let out a sigh of relief. “C’mon, kid. I think I saw another path in the water.” Frisk held on to her hand and followed her lead. 

* * *

_ “...hmmm...if I say my wish...you promise you won’t laugh at me?” _

_ “Of course I won’t laugh!” _

_ “Someday, I’d like to climb this mountain we’re all buried under. Standing under the sky, looking at the world all around...that’s my wish.” _

_ “Ahahahaha~ Hey, you said you wouldn’t laugh at it!” _

_ “Sorry, it’s just funny...that’s my wish, too.”  _

Tallon smiled at the child-like voices whispering around them from the Echo Flowers. She glanced at Frisk, and almost asked if something was wrong. They were gripping their arms as if torn by guilt…

Outside of the little room of Echo Flowers, Tallon let Frisk go on the thin bridge first. “I’ll be here to catch you if you fall off the edges.”

“Yo!” Tallon stands to the side so Frisk can see MK running towards them. “Yo, I know I’m not supposed to be here, but...I wanna ask you something.” MK shuffled his feet, looking nervously at the ground. “Man, I’ve never had to ask anyone this before...um...yo...you’re human, right? Haha you both are.” Tallon and Frisk both nodded. “Man! I knew it! Well...I know it now, I mean...Undyne told me, um, ‘stay away from that human.’” Tallon almost laughed at his imitation of her voice. “So, like, um...I guess that makes us enemies or something. But I kinda stink at that, haha. Yo, say something mean so I can hate you? Please?”

Frisk thought for a moment before saying, “No-armed clutz.”

“Huh? Yo, that’s your idea of something mean? My sister says that to me ALL THE TIME! Guess I have to do it, haha.” MK shuffled around again before staring at Frisk. “Yo, I...I hate your guts.” They looked at each other, tears gathering in both children’s eyes. “Man, I...I’m such a turd. I’m...I’m gonna go home now.”

Tallon sighed, “I think that’s best, MK. Be careful!” 

MK nodded and then slipped off the edge.

OF course he did.

Tallon dropped to her stomach before his head passed the edge and grabbed onto his shirt, then pulled him up.” 

She didn’t notice Undyne walking down the bridge until she was standing back up, dusting her shirt. MK stood between them. “Y...y...yo, dude...if...if y-you wanna hurt my friends...you’re gonna have to get through me, first.” MK was shaking, but had a determined look on his face. 

Tallon laughed, scratching behind one of his scales. “It’s alright, kid. Go home…I’m sure your parents are worried sick about you.” 

MK frowned, but nodded. “Alright...guess we can’t be enemies, now that you’ve saved my skin. Guess we’ll just be friends then!” MK skipped towards Undyne, following her back the way they’d came.

“Let’s keep going.” Tallon said, waving Frisk forward.

* * *

Tallon was getting real sick and tired of monsters and their ability to appear in random places. After watching Undyne storm off in one direction, and making sure to continue walking in the opposite direction of her, Tallon didn’t really expect to see her muttering to herself at the top of a jagged mountain. At least, Tallon assumed she was muttering to herself, because they couldn’t hear her from this distance. Suddenly there was shouting from above, “SCREW IT! WHY SHOULD I YOU THAT STORY WHEN YOU’RE ABOUT TO DIE!?! NGAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Tallon sighed,  _ so she was talking to us. _

Frisk pushed Tallon towards the pathway through the small mountain. Tallon watched as Undyne landed on the ground where she had been, and pulled Frisk into a battle. “En guarde!” Tallon watched as Undyne swiped her arrow, turning Frisk’s SOUL green. They couldn’t move. As a barrage of arrows began flying towards them, a shield appeared on their arm. They swung it towards the oncoming attack, sighing in relief when the arrows  _ tink~ed _ against their shield and disappeared. 

“For years, we’ve dreamed of a happy ending…” Another wave of arrows. “And now, sunlight is just within our reach! I won’t let you snatch it away from us!” 

“Undyne, can’t we just be friends?” Frisk called, making Undyne hesitate. Tallon thought of Papyrus, and wondered if that’s who she thought of as well.

“NGAHHH! Enough warming up!” Another wave of arrows surrounded Frisk. Finally, their SOUL was red again. Frisk fled. 

Tallon swept them up as they got close and sprinted down the path. Arrows zipped past. Tallon kept running forward. A few got to close, cutting her skin, but she ignored it. Frisk’s safety was paramount. They pass a large welcome sign. Tallon knows what’s coming up. She didn’t know that Frisk’s phone was going to ring. “HEY! WHAT’S UP!? I WAS JUST THINKING...YOU, ME, AND UNDYNE SHOULD ALL HANG OUT SOMETIME! I THINK YOU WOULD MAKE GREAT PALS! LET’S MEET UP AT HER HOUSE LATER!” Frisk made an affirmative noise and hung up. Tallon was getting tired…

Ahead was Sans, fast asleep at his booth. Tallon sprinted past, glad that his laziness demanded a lecture from Undyne, who had been steadily catching up to them. 

On the other side of the bridge, Tallon set Frisk down and took several deep breaths, trying to calm her breathing. Climbing was one thing, sprinting was another. Undyne steadily made her way across the bridge, but her steps were getting heavy. “Armor...so...hot...but I can’t...give up…” she mumbled, her steps now staggering. Tallon noticed a water cooler, and pointed. 

Frisk ran towards it and got a cup of water just as Undyne passed out on the bridge. 

“Quickly now,” Tallon gasped, thinking about getting herself a cup once Undyne was seen to.

They ran it over and splashed it on the Royal Guard’s face, stepping back to give her room. She sputters for a moment, then slowly stands back up, looking at them with a funny look. She takes a step back, then another, before turning around completely and walking back to Waterfall. 

Tallon walked back towards Sans station. He was gone. “Damn…”

“That’s a bad word.” Frisk said, crossing their arms.

“Yeah yeah…” Tallon was still panting, now from the heat rather than the running. “What next.”

“Papyrus wants us to meet him at Undyne’s house!”

Tallon groaned. “But that’s all the way back there…” 

Frisk looked at her with a disapproving face. 

“Alright...let’s head back…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! An update! I'll try to crank them out whenever I have time. College is stressful ha ha...  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below~  
> -JM


	21. "Cooking" Lessons

Papyrus was standing outside of Undyne’s door. Tallon snapped a picture of it, absolutely loving that the angry fish lady lives in an angry fish house. Frisk ran to Papyrus, hugging his leg. “OHO! THE HUMANS ARRIVES! ARE YOU READY TO HANG OUT WITH UNDYNE?”

“Yeah!” Frisk cried, pumping their tiny fists into the air. 

Papyrus ruffles their hair, “I HAVE A PLAN TO MAKE YOU TWO GREAT FRIENDS!” Pap pauses, turning to Tallon. “OR MAYBE...YOU THREE?”

Tallon hesitates.  _ It Is Alright, She Is A Good Friend To Have.  _ She shrugs, “Alright.”

“OKAY! STAND BEHIND ME!” Frisk ducks behind his legs and Tallon follows suit. Papyrus knocks on the door. “PSST.” He mock-whispers, “MAKE SURE TO GIVE HER THIS! SHE LOVES THESE,” and hands Frisk a bone with a ribbon tied.

Tallon tries not to laugh.

The teeth separate, revealing Undyne in the doorway. Tallon was surprised how thin she was out of her armor, but could see that every inch of her was lean muscle. Tallon was afraid, and yet vaguely in a good way. She felt her cheeks flush.

“Hi, Papyrus! Ready for your extra-private, one-on-one training?” Undyne said, her voice gruff. Tallon’s blush deepened, 

_ My My, And Here I Was Thinking You Had A Thing For The Brother. _

Tallon sobered up at that.  _ I don’t have a thing for him… _

_ Whatever You Say, My Dear. _

“YOU BET I AM! AND I BROUGHT SOME FRIENDS!” Pap stepped to the side. Tallon set a hand on Frisk’s shoulder, prepared to throw them out of the way should something happen. 

“Hi, I don’t think we’ve…” Undyne pauses, finally realizing who she was talking to. Her smile was tight. “Why don’t. You guys. Come in?” she said through gritted teeth. 

Papyrus, lovingly oblivious, excitedly follows her. Frisk tugs Tallon forward by the hand.

* * *

 

Inside was tidy enough, though there were a few weapons tossed casually on the floor. Undyne was ready for a training session, not a visit from the enemy. Tallon noticed Undyne glaring at her and stopped looking towards the weapons. 

“HERE, UNDYNE. MY FRIEND BROUGHT A GIFT FOR YOU, ON THEIR OWN!” Papyrus said, waving towards Frisk.

They step forward, the bone Papyrus had given them held out in both hands. Undyne’s shoulders slumped. “Uhhh...thanks.” She stepped forward, snatched it away, and walked towards the kitchen. “I’ll, uh, put it with the others.”

Tallon saw the drawer full of bones and remembered Papyrus mentioning giving them as gifts to all his friends. She was really sad to see them all with Undyne. 

“So are we ready to start?” she asked, still tossing glances at the humans. 

Papyrus glanced at his glove, “WHOOPSY DOOPSY! I JUST REMEMBERED! I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!! YOU THREE HAVE FUN!!!” Tallon balked as he threw himself out of a window and rolled out of sight. 

There was silence, then Undyne pointed an accusing finger, “So why are YOU here? To rub your victory in my face? To humiliate me even further? IS THAT IT?” Frisk shook their head. “Then why are you here?!” She paused in her rage, and her eyes grew cold. “Wait, I get it. You think that I’m gonna be friends with you, huh? Right???”

Frisk hesitated, but nodded. Tallon was getting angry. 

“Really? How delightful!! I accept! Let’s all frolick in the fields of friendship!” She said, her tone mocking. Her face turns savage, “NOT! Why would I EVER be friends with YOU!? If you weren’t my houseguest, I’d beat you up right now! You’re the enemy of everyone’s hopes and dreams! I WILL NEVER BE YOUR FRIEND. Now get out of my house!” 

Frisk looked near tears. “Undyne, that’s enough! Can’t you see they’re just a child? How can you threaten them like that?”

“I can see they’re a human child, it’s always a human child. And don’t act as if you aren’t one too! I see the stripes!”

Tallon waved her hand between herself and Frisk. “Not by human standards! I’m an adult human, but we age faster than monsters apparently, but that still doesn’t give you the right to threaten a child, human or no!” Undyne seemed taken aback by Tallon’s anger. In the confusion, Tallon grabbed Frisk by the sleeve. “C’mon Frisk, we’re obviously not wanted here.”

As her hand touched the door, Papyrus popped his head back in the window. “DANG! WHAT A SHAME...I THOUGHT UNDYNE COULD BE FRIENDS WITH YOU. BUT I GUESS...I OVERESTIMATED HER. SHE’S JUST NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE. OH WELL, I’LL WAIT FOR YOU AT MY HOUSE, HUMANS!” 

Frisk pulled out of Tallon’s grasp, “wait…”

She turned back to Undyne, who was having a mini-crisis. “CHALLENGE!? What!? Papyrus! Wait a second…!” She stepped towards the window, but he was long gone now. “Dangit!” She whirled towards the humans, her eyes wide. “He thinks I can’t be friends with YOU!? Fuhuhu! What a joke! I could make friends with a wimpy loser like you any day!”

Tallon opened her mouth but Frisk shook their head. She stayed quiet. 

“I’ll show him! Listen up, human. We’re not just going to be friends. We’re going to be…”

“Frenimies?” Tallon suggested.

“BESTIES.” Undyne cried over her. Tallon scoffed, but Frisk looked excited. “I’ll make you like me so much...you won’t be able to think of anyone else!!! Fuhuhuhu! It’s the PERFECT REVENGE!!”

Tallon wanted to question her logic but Frisk once again quieted her with a wave of their hand. Undyne stopped laughing and smiled sweetly, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. “Why don’t you have a seat?” She looked around the room. “I only have one at the table, but there’s the piano bench as well…”

Tallon waved for Frisk to sit at the table, “I’m just here to supervise the playdate, don’t mind me,” Tallon explained, and it was mostly true. As Frisk set down they pointed towards a giant sword on the ground. 

“Don’t act like you don’t know! You humans might be the enemy, but I’ll admit you’ve got some cool history...like these giant swords up to 10 times your size! And alien fighting robots! And supernatural princesses!!!”

Tallon covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.  _ Undyne is a fuckin weeboo, oh my god.  _

_ I Don’t Know That Term But Watch Your Language Young Lady. _

Tallon scoffed quietly,  _ Yes mother. _

_ I’m Not Your Mother. _

_ It’s just an expression, _ Tallon explained, jumping out of her skin when Undyne throws a spear into the table. “HEY! DON’T GET UP!! YOU’RE THE GUEST!! SIT DOWN AND ENJOY YOURSELF!!!” She glanced towards Tallon, half standing and angry, then back towards the scared Frisk sitting back on the stool. She looked nervous, “Um, why not just point to what you want? You can use the spear!”

Tallon shifted nervously on the bench, tense and ready to get the hell outta Dodge if things start going south. Frisk waves the spear around for a second, trying to figure out the safest way to hold it without breaking anything, and directs it towards Undyne on accident.

“...are you...hitting on me???” 

Frisk blushes, moving the spear towards the tea boxes by the fridge. “Tea? Coming right up!” Tallon wonders if there was any reason to give the kid an option with how quickly Undyne puts everything else away. It almost sounded like the cocoa tin was empty as it hit the shelf. She didn’t bother asking for a cup herself, wanting to stay out of the spotlight and watch for trouble. “It’ll take a moment for the water to boil.” They all waited in silence until the kettle began to whistle. “Okay, it’s done!” 

Undyne poured a cup and set it by Frisk. “Here we are!” She sat across from him, “Careful, it’s hot.”

Frisk nodded, and began to blow into their cup. Undyne grew very impatient very quickly, “It’s not THAT hot!! Just drink it already!”

Frisk quickly sips it, flinches at the temperature, but then smiles at Undyne. “It’s good!” 

“Nothing but the best for my ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS FRIEND!!”

Tallon was getting annoyed with the false niceties. Undyne was quiet for a moment, thoughtful. She smiled down at her cup. “You know...it’s kind of strange you chose THAT tea. Golden flower tea...that’s Asgore’s favorite kind. Actually, now that I think about it...you kind of remind me of him. You’re both TOTAL weenies!!!” 

Tallon scoffed under her breath, but relaxed. Undyne was opening up, and not attacking, so it was progress.

“...sort of.” She watched Frisk take another sip of the tea, which should have cooled down enough by now. “Y’know, I was a pretty hot headed kid. Once, to prove I was the strongest, I tried to fight Asgore. Emphasis on TRIED.” 

Tallon was trying to understand if Undyne knew she was still hot headed. 

“I couldn’t land a single blow on him! And worse, the whole time, he refused to fight back! I was so humiliated...afterwards, he apologized and said something goofy…‘Excuse me, do you want to know how to beat me?’ I said yes, and from then on, he trained me.” Frisk’s eyes were wide as they listened, Undyne didn’t notice as she stared at her tea cup. “One day, during practice, I finally knocked him down. I felt...bad. But he was beaming…” Undyne laughed, “I had never seen someone more proud to get their butt kicked. Anyway, long story short, he kept training me...and now I’m the head of the Royal Guard! So I’m the one who gets to train dorks to fight!”

“Like Papyrus?” Tallon asked. 

Undyne looked over at her, then down at the floor, “Um, to be honest...I don’t know if...I can ever let Papyrus into the Royal Guard. Don’t tell him I said that!”

Tallon nodded, and waved a hand for her to continue.

“He’s just...well…”

“Weak?”

“No, he’s actually pretty freaking tough! It’s just that...he’s...he’s too innocent and nice!!! I mean, look, he was SUPPOSED to capture you...and he ended up being FRIENDS with you instead! I could NEVER send him into battle! He’d get ripped into little smiling shreds.”

Tallon remembered his SOULs last NYEHEHE in the other timeline and suppressed a shudder. 

“That’s part of why...I started teaching him how to cook, you know? So, um, maybe he can do something else with his life.” 

Frisk smiled, “That’s really cool, Undyne.”

She shook her head, “Ah, I was talking so long. You’re out of tea, yeah? I’ll get you some more.” She stood, and stepped towards the stove. She spun back towards Frisk. “Wait a second. Papyrus, his cooking lesson...HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW!!!” She pointed towards Frisk, “And if he’s not here to have it...YOU’LL HAVE TO HAVE IT FOR HIM!!!”

Tallon wondered if Undyne actually knew how to cook, or if her skill level was the same as Papyrus and they just bonded over muddling along together. She sighed as Undyne jumped on the counter and began kicking everything out of her way, ducking when a tea cup went flying her way. 

“That’s right!!! NOTHING has brought Papyrus and I closer than cooking! Which means that if I give you his lesson...WE’LL BECOME CLOSER THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE!!!”

Frisk jumped down from the stool, their fist high in the air, “Yeah!”

“We’re gonna be best friends!!!” She jumped over to them, picked them up, and jumped back to the counter. Tallon stayed by the piano, but moved from sitting on the bench to leaning against the edge, ready to save Frisk should something happen. 

“Let’s start with the sauce!! ” Tallon watched in horror as Undyne and Frisk began to punch vegetables, trying to make sauce and instead making a mess. Frisk, ever a pacifist, was barely hitting them, and Undyne was putting too much power into her punches, leaving trails of juice on the walls and floor. They moved onto the noodles next, with Undyne handing a box of noodles to Frisk and demanding they “throw them in with all they’ve got”. Frisk tried, box and all, and it made a little clank against the empty bottom. Undyne pulled the box out and the noodles spread out. Tallon was wondering if she should mention that there is supposed to be water in the pot…

“The more you stir, THE BETTER IT IS! LET’S DO THIS!” Undyne handed Frisk the spoon and held them up so they could reach the pot. They stirred as best they could, Undyne egging them to go harder and harder, until she set them down and took over. A spear appeared above the pot and pounded down the noodles, the pot, and left a dent in the stove. “Now to TURN UP THE HEAT!” 

_ Might Want To Get Close To The Child. _

Tallon stepped closer, pretending to want a better look, and put a hand on their shoulder. Undyne demanded they turn up the heat, Frisk turned the oven knob higher. Undyne took over and turned it all the way up, the flame on the stove shooting up, licking the ceiling. Tallon pulled Frisk back, and reached to grab Undyne as well. 

“See!? This is how you-”

The house went up in flames.

“Undyne! Undyne are you alright?” Tallon had pulled her away as the flames rose but this heat was probably getting to the fish monster faster than it was them. 

“Ah.” She said, looking around, “Man, no wonder Papyrus sucks at cooking. So what’s next? Scrapbooking? Friendship bracelets?” Undyne’s shoulders slumped. “Who am I kidding? I really screwed this up, didn’t I?” 

Frisk shook their head. “No, Undyne, you-”

“I’m not going to force you to like me, human. Some people just don’t get along with each other. I understand if you feel that way about me.” Tallon felt bad for giving off such obviously negative vibes. “And if we can’t be friends...that’s ok. Because...if we’re not friends...IT MEANS I CAN DESTROY YOU WITHOUT REGRET!” 

Tallon pulled Frisk away, stepping in front of them and faced them towards the door. They tried to wiggle out of her grip, reaching for Undyne. Tallon felt a tug on her SOUL, but it refused. Frisk was not so lucky. Tallon stepped out of the way, unsure of how being in the middle of the battle would affect her. “Damn…” She muttered.

“I’ve been defeated...my house is in shambles...I even failed to befriend you. That’s it. I don’t care if you’re my guest anymore. One final rematch! All out on both sides!!! IT’S THE ONLY WAY I CAN REGAIN MY LOST PRIDE!!! NOW COME ON! HIT ME WITH ALL YOU’VE GOT! NGAHHHH!!!!” Undyne gripped her spear tightly. 

Frisk looked to Tallon, who punched her other palm. They looked nervous. Frisk ran forward, pulling their little fist back before punching her right in the stomach…

Undyne’s tank top barely moved on impact. Undyne slouched. “What. That’s the best you can manage? Even attacking at full force...you just can’t muster any intent to hurt me, huh?” She stood up straight, letting the energy spear disperse. “Heh, you know what? I don’t actually want to hurt you either. At first, I hated your stupid saccharine schtick, but...the way you hit me right now it...reminded me of someone I used to train with. Now I know you aren’t just some wimpy loser. You’re a wimpy loser with a big heart! Just like him…” 

Tallon smiled, wiping sweat off her brow. “Guys, this is all well and good but we’re standing in the middle of a burning house so if we could just wrap this up?”

Undyne took a deep breath and stared down at Frisk. “Listen, human. It seems that you and Asgore are fated to fight. But knowing him, he probably doesn’t want to. Talk to him. I’m sure you can persuade him to let you go home. Eventually, some mean human will fall down here...and I’ll take their SOUL instead. That makes sense, right? Fuhuhu.” The two smiled at each other before Undyne turned serious, “Oh, and if you DO hurt Asgore...I’ll take the human SOULs...cross the barrier...and beat the hell out of you! That’s what friends are for, right?”

“Language, Undyne. They’re just a child...now seriously, let’s get out of here.” Tallon put a hand on Frisk’s shoulder as their SOUL reentered their body. “C’mere, kiddo.” She pulled them into her arms and wove through the flames, jumping out of the door as it opened and closed on its own. Undyne dove out the window that Papyrus had jumped out earlier and rolled into the yard. 

“Well, that was fun, huh? We’ll have to hang out again another time..!” She glanced towards her house and rubbed her arm, “But, uh, somewhere else I guess. In the meantime, I guess I’ll go hang with Papyrus. So if you need me, drop by Snowdin, OK!?”

Frisk nodded, wiggling for Tallon to put them down. They ran to Undyne and hugged her leg. “Thanks Undyne.”

She was surprised by the gesture, but ruffled their hair after a moment, “And if you ever need help...just give Papyrus a ring, ok? Since we’re in the same spot, I’ll be able to talk too!” Undyne smiled over at Tallon, “But with such a cool body guard with you, I don’t think you’ll need help.”

Tallon’s jaw dropped when Undyne winked. “Well, thanks for the confidence boost, but I’m not that strong.”

Undyne squared her shoulders and pushed Frisk to the side. “Prove it, Punk. Hit me.”

Tallon hesitated.  _ Should I fake it like Frisk? _

_ Do As She Says, Hit Her With All You’ve Got. _ There was a hint of glee in the voice, but Tallon wasn’t going to question.

“Frisk, hold my bag?” She undid the straps and held it towards them. Undyne looked excited that she was taking it so seriously. Tallon rolled her shoulders and threw a few quick punches in the air. She’d taken some basic self defence courses to please her mother so that she could do rock climbs farther away from home. 

Undyne puffed out her chest and put her hands on her hip. “Gonna hit the air or me?”

Tallon threw a punch and stopped it in front of Undyne’s face, her hair swaying from the wind. “Give me a minute to warm up. I’ve been carrying either the bag or the kid for days now. I’ve got to loosen up my shoulders.” Undyne let her throw a few punches at the dummy before getting into stance again. Tallon took a deep breath and swung at her, throwing her weight behind it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah~ finally have time to update. Sorry for the wait everyone! I've also gone back and changed the chapter titles, I just ran out of ideas that said "hey, keep in mind that Tallon's mother is still looking for her, and refuses to accept the answer that she died". So! Now they're a little easier to follow, yes?  
> Questions, Comments, Concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below!  
> -JM


	22. Weebos Everywhere

“Hey Frisk..?” Tallon called back to them where they were stopped at the water cooler. They ran to her side, looking around her towards the guards. They were tall, buff, and blocked one of their paths. “What do you want to do?”

They wanted to talk to them.  _ Of course.  _

_ Oh Them? They’re Harmless. _

Frisk walked up to the one with bunny ears sticking out of his helmet, “Excuse me, can we pass through?”

The guard glanced at his partner, “Sorry...Undyne, like, told us there was totally a human in the area. So, like, us Royal Guards are blocking off the elevators for now.” The second guard nodded, and waved for the first to stand straighter. “Ngah! Even if the elevators aren’t working anyway, we’ll do our best.”

Frisk smiled, “You’re doing great!”

The two guards waved as Frisk came back to Tallon. She shook her head, “Kid, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal. This boundless amount of kindness and fearlessness will give me a heart attack one of these days.”

Frisk laughed. “Let’s go see what’s in that building!” They ran over to the door, jumping excitedly when the doors slid open. “It’s so cool!” 

“Frisk, wait!” Tallon followed them quickly, adjusting the straps on her bag as she walked. The heat was making them uncomfortable.

It was dark in the lab, but Tallon and Frisk could see well not to run into walls. They wandered for a bit, finding a large monitor with their faces on it. As they walked, so did their monitored selves.  _ Someone has been following us. _

_ Very Good.  _

A door slid open ahead of them, and a small lizard-like monster walked out. They flipped a switch and the lights came on. Frisk waved to the monster. It startled, “Oh. My god. I didn’t expect you to show up so soon!” The monster began to spin in circles, looking around the lab in a panic. “I haven’t showered, I’m barely dressed, it’s all messy, and…”

Tallon could sympathize. “Hey now, don’t feel bad. I haven’t really been able to shower in weeks so I won’t fault you.” she said, waving towards her very sweaty tank top and shorts. Frisk had held her bag and let her change behind one of the waterfalls. The blue tank top she had climbed in was now gray with maroon stripes. 

The monster seemed to calm down, and Tallon was fairly sure they were female. “Ummm...h-h-hiya! I’m Dr. Alphys. I’m Asgore’s royal scientist! B-b-but, ahhhh, I’m not one of the ‘bad guys’. Actually, since you stepped out of the Ruins, I’ve...ummm…” Alphys blushed, “...been ‘observing your journey through my console. Your fights...your friendships...everything! I was originally going to stop you, but…watching someone on a screen really makes you root for them.” 

Tallon wondered if that was true, seeing as to how other children have died.

Alphys continued, “S-so, ahhh, now I want to help you! Using my knowledge, I can easily guide you through Hotland! I know a way to Asgore’s castle no problem!” She hesitated, glancing towards the room she’d just exited. “Well, actually, umm, there’s just a tiny issue. A long time ago, I made a robot named Mettaton. Originally, I built him to be an entertainment robot. Uh, you know, like a robotic tv star or something. Anyway, recently I decided to make him more useful. You know, just some small practical adjustments…” 

Tallon had a bad feeling about where this was going.  _ It almost sounded like… _

“Like, umm...anti...anti-human combat features?” Alphys explained. “Of c-course, when I saw you coming, I immediately decided...I have to remove those features! Unfortunately, I may have made a teensy mistake while doing so...and, um…” She was sweating nervously now, her voice rising in pitch and speeding up, “Now he’s an unstoppable killing machine with a thirst for human blood?”

_ Like a bad anime. _

Frisk looked more concerned for Alphys then themself, but Tallon touched a hand to her forehead.  _ Well great, a killer robot. Because killer monsters wasn’t enough, technology had to be brought into it. _

“But, umm,” Alphys tried to sound assuring, “hopefully we won’t run into him!”

There was a metallic thud that shook the room.  _ You had to jinx it, huh doc? _ Alphys tried to play it off like it wasn’t obvious what was going on. Tallon pulled Frisk close, noticing a look of hurt on the scientist’s face. 

The sound grew closer, Alphys muttered a quiet, “Oh no…”

An echoing, metallic voice replied, “OHHHH YES! WELCOME, BEAUTIES…” The wall burst open, Tallon shielded Frisk from flying bits of rubble. “...TO TODAY’S QUIZ SHOW!” A theatrical rectangle on one wheel stood before them, holding a mic to its multi-colored screen and waving its hands in the air. A big flashy sign and two disco balls lowered from the ceiling, “OH BOY! I CAN ALREADY TELL IT’S GONNA BE A GREAT SHOW! EVERYONE GIVE A BIG HAND FOR OUR WONDERFUL CONTESTANT!” Mettatton clapped rhythmically to the music, which was upbeat and lively. Perfect for a tv host. 

Tallon recognized Mettatton, first from Papyrus’s many figurines, and secondly from the amount of his shows Papyrus watches. If this was actually being broadcasted, which Tallon didn’t, she wondered how Papyrus is reacting to seeing them on tv.  _ Maybe I should call Sans after- _

“NEVER PLAYED BEFORE, GORGEOUS?” Mettaton asked, not waiting for Frisk to respond. Tallon stood off to the side, ready to step in should Frisk be put in danger. “NO PROBLEM! IT’S SIMPLE! THERE’S ONLY ONE RULE! ANSWER CORRECTLY...OR YOU DIE!!!”

Frisk was pulled into a battle, Tallon cursed under her breath. There wasn’t much she could do while they were in a battle, but Alphys gave her an obvious wink and went to stand by Mettaton. Tallon could do nothing but have faith she would keep Frisk out of harm's way, and sat back to enjoy the show. Mettatton’s battle music was just as upbeat as his theme, but more robotic.

“LET’S START WITH AN EASY ONE!”

Tallon could see the question and answer choices on the monitor Alphys had been spying on them with.  _ What’s the prize for answering correctly? It’s a trick question. _ She notices Alphys making small gestures with her hands...they form a  _ D _ .  _ Alphys is going to help Frisk cheat, cleaver… _

Frisk followed her cue, ignoring the obvious Mercy choice. A merry jingle goes off and a small bit of confetti falls. “RIGHT! SOUNDS LIKE YOU GET IT! HERE’S YOUR TERRIFIC PRIZE!”

_ What’s the king’s full name? This one is more obvious, but I can see the humor in the first answer. It’s obvious that he knows his fan base well.  _ Alphys once again gave Frisk the answer, even though it was obvious. 

“CORRECT! WHAT A TERRIFIC ANSWER! BUT ENOUGH ABOUT YOU, LET’S TALK ABOUT ME!” 

_What are robots made of?_ _Ah-ha! A real question. So he was lulling Frisk into a false sense of security so they’d be ready for more easy questions. The answer choices are still sort of obvious, but the references there could mess with Frisk._

“TOO EASY FOR YOU, HUH???????????” Alphys looked a little worried now. Mettaton continued, “HERE’S ANOTHER EASY ONE FOR YOU!”

Tallon didn’t even try to read the question this time. Mettaton was just being a dick at this point. Frisk looked almost panicked, but Alphys was confident. She made a  _ D _ with her hands, the jingle played. 

“WONDERFUL! I’M ASTOUNDED, FOLKS! BUT DON’T ‘COUNT’ ON YOUR VICTORY JUST YET…”

_ How many flies are in this jar? _ Tallon began counting, but with the flies constantly moving she kept losing count. Alphys was still confident as she formed an  _ A _ with her hands. Almost...too confident…

“CORRECT! YOU’RE SO LUCKY TODAY!!!” Mettaton almost sounded...fake? His enthusiasm was off, compared to how he’d sounded on the tv shows Papyrus had showed them. “LET’S PLAY A MEMORY GAME.”

_What monster is this?_ _It looks like a Froggit, but this is Mettaton we’re talking about, so it’s probably..._ Alphys made a _D_ with her hands, _my guess exactly, but Frisk would never have gotten it on their own._

The image pulled back to reveal Mettaton wearing a shirt with froggit’s face on the front. “I’M SO FLATTERED YOU REMEMBERED! BUT CAN YOU GET THIS ONE???”

_ Would you smooch a ghost? What kind of question is that?  _ Alphys is side-eyeing Frisk, and all the answers are Heck Yeah. Frisk laughs and picks a random answer choice. Tallon wondered if Napstablook watched the show, and how he would react to this question. 

“GREAT ANSWER! I LOVE IT!!!!!!! HERE’S A SIMPLE ONE.” 

It was anything but simple.  _ How many letters are in Mettaton, but ‘n’s keep getting added at a rapid pace. That’s bullshit. And yet... _ Alphys is making a  _ C _ , which Frisk picks.  _ How the hell- _

“OF COURSE THAT WAS EASY FOR YOU! TIME TO BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS!” 

The question involved a dating sim, which got Alphys really excited. “OH! OH! I KNOW THIS ONE!!! IT’S SNAIL ICE CREAM!!!!!!! IN THE FOURTH CHAPTER EVERYONE GOES TO THE BEACH! AND SHE BUYS ICE CREAM FOR ALL OF HER FRIENDS!!! BUT IT’S SNAIL FLAVOR AND SHE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS IT!!!!! IT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE GAME BECAUSE IT’S ACTUALLY A VERY POWERFUL message about...friendship...and…” She began to realize she’d been caught helping. Tallon was trying not to laugh,  _ I should have guessed she’d be a weebo. _

Mettaton tsked, “ALPHYS, ALPHYS, ALPHYS. YOU AREN’T HELPING OUR CONTESTANT, ARE YOU?” She rapidly shakes her head no, sweating nervously, “OOOOOOH!!! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME. I’LL ASK A QUESTION...YOU’LL BE SURE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO!”

_ Who does Dr. Alphys have a...crush on?  _ Tallon drew a blank. They’d only just met her...but... _ well, with the answer choices given...only one seems to be a wrong answer. It could be Frisk, because she’s been watching us for most of our time here, but they’re young so that’d be creepy. Maybe Asgore because he sounds like a decent man, but that’d be complicated because of their professional relationship and the fact that he’s technically married...However, Undyne… _

Frisk had a sly look on their face as they chose Undyne. Alphys covered her bright red face. “SEE, ALPHYS? I TOLD YOU IT WAS OBVIOUS. EVEN THE HUMAN FIGURED IT OUT. YES, SHE SCRAWLS HER NAME IN THE MARGINS OF HER NOTES. SHE NAMES PROGRAMMING VARIABLES AFTER HER. SHE EVEN WRITES STORIES OF THEM TOGETHER...SHARING A DOMESTIC LIFE. PROBABILITY OF CRUSH: 101 PERCENT. MARGIN OF ERROR: 1 PERCENT.” 

Frisk laughed, but Mettaton continued his monologue, “WELL WELL WELL. WITH DR. ALPHYS HELPING YOU...THE SHOW HAS NO DRAMATIC TENSION! WE CAN’T GO ON LIKE THIS!! BUT!!! THIS WAS JUST THE PILOT EPISODE!! NEXT UP, MORE DRAMA! MORE ROMANCE!!! MORE BLOODSHED!!! UNTIL NEXT TIME, DARLINGS…!!!” He tucks his limbs into his rectangular body and shoots of like a rocket. The battle is over. 

Tallon pulled Frisk closer to look them over, even though there were no attacks, she needed to see with her own eyes that they were okay. Alphys looked on, wringing her hands together. “...well that was certainly something,” she said.

“You can say that again…” Tallon muttered, winking at Frisk. “Ready to go, kiddo?” 

“I wanna look around first!” They took her hand and began walking past Alphys.

She looked nervous, and was muttering to herself. “Th-that last question...he wasn’t s-supposed to ask that one…”

Tallon had a bad feeling about this situation. She let Frisk wander around the lab and propped a hip against the messy desk.  _ Mettaton didn’t sound like himself until he was calling Alphys out on cheating. Until that point he almost sounded...scripted? _

_ Well, He Is A Performer. _

_ Papyrus said he normally improves, and when he doesn’t he writes his own script so it sounds natural. That’s his appeal, it’s all just him being himself.  _

As Frisk meandered past her again, she suddenly spun around, “Wait, wait!” The yellow monster reached out to Frisk, “Let me give you my ph-phone number! Th-then...m-maybe...if you need help, I could…” Frisk nodded and handed her their phone, she looked surprised. “Wh...where’d you get that phone!? It’s ANCIENT! It doesn’t even have texting…” She turned it over a few times in her claws and then looked up, “W-wait a second, please!” 

“Alright.” They watched as Alphys disappeared into the door she’d came out of when they first arrived. There were odd sounds from within, but Tallon didn’t question weird noises anymore when it came to the Underground. 

Alphys came back with the phone a few minutes later, “Here, I upgraded it for you! It can do texting, items, it’s got a keychain…” she waved the empty chain, smiling. “I even signed you up for the underground’s number 1 social network! Now we’re officially friends! Ehehehe! Heheh...heh…” She glanced around awkwardly, “I-I’m going to the bathroom!” she nervously shouted, and darted off to the sliding door. 

Frisk looked over the phone, “Do you have any charms?”

“Let me check.”  _ I know my keychain is in here somewhere, but did I ever add charms to it? _ She dug around in the bag, taking out several of their items to keep them from being squished. Down at the bottom was her phone and keys. She took them out and found only one charm on her keyring: a picture of her and her mom. Tallon paused, “Oh…”

Frisk put a hand on her arm, “Do you need a minute?” 

Tallon looked at them. Did she need a minute? She didn’t really know how she felt right now, but if anything it made her more determined to keep moving forward. “No. Let me just pack up and we can keep going.” She tucked everything into her bag, being sure to keep everything from getting damaged. She adjusted the straps and snapped them on. They rested tightly against her, which could cause a lot of friction, but it made the bag secure and helped her balance. Worse comes to worst, she has ointment for rope burns and cuts in the side pocket.

\----------

They stepped out of the lab, the heat curling around them like flames around a log. Tallon was already breaking into a sweat. Frisk’s phone got a notification from the Undernet app. They handed Tallon the phone, “I don’t want it constantly buzzing in my pocket.”

She flipped it open. It was about the size of her handheld game system at home, with a full screen on top and a full keyboard on the bottom. Tallon found the app, and was asked to create a handle. “Hey Frisk, what do you want the username to be?”

They shrugged, “I’ve never had to make one before…” Just then a small volcanic monster wandered past, pulling Frisk into a battle. They look the Vulkin over, the name gives Tallon a good laugh, and dodges the monster’s attack. Frisk thinks for a moment and decides to hug it, sweating from the warmth it gave off. They flinched as they let go, but looked pleased. The monster got all heart eyed and giggly. 

_ Such a flirt...next thing you know they’ll have a kissing booth. A flirting booth? It’ll be a...Frisky Business. _

_ Why. _ The utter sound of defeat in the voice was music to Tallon’s ears. The battle ended. Tallon smiled, she typed in the username and showed it to Frisk before saving it. They giggled, pleased with her choice. Alphys had updated her status a few times while they’d been walking, so Tallon scrolled through them.

**just realized i didn’t watch undyne fight the human v.v**

**well i know she’s unbeatable i’ll ask her abt it later ^.^**

**for now i gotta call up the human and guide them =^.^=**

Tallon smiled, “She’ll call whenever we need help I guess.” She lurched forward suddenly, not noticing they’d stepped onto a moving walkway. Frisk took her hand. They safely made it to solid ground when the phone buzzed again.

**gonna call them in a minute!!! =^.^=**

“Hey kiddo, she said she’ll be calling soon. Want me to keep the phone or do you want to answer it?”

“Keep it. I wanna explore.” Frisk looked at the moving pathways and lead Tallon to the one on the left. “We’ll have to move carefully while on this one. It curves.”

Tallon nodded, tucking the phone into her back pocket. She was lucky to have a pair of men’s shorts on, otherwise she’d have to put the phone in the bag. The sound of Hotlands was nice, the SOULS resonating in something similar to Mettaton’s fighting music, and the distant whooshing sound of steam and cogs made for a pleasant hum. 

The phone beeped.

**I HATE USING THE PHONE I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS LMAO ^.^**

Tallon frowned, “If she doesn’t want to call, she doesn’t have to? We’ve done fine on our own until this point. She doesn’t have to start saving us now.”

Frisk launched across the platform suddenly, whooping in delight. “The steam shoots you across,” they called back. A plane shaped monster swooped near them, starting a battle. 

Tallon could see that Alphys wasn’t the only weebo here.  _ Tsunderplane, how quaint.  _ She cringes as Frisk flirts, the monster blushes and acts offended. Frisk steps closer, but not too close. The monster’s cheeks are bright pink. Frisk gets healed by the next attack, and the Tsunderplane does a little roll before flying off. 

“I think the username suits you, kiddo.” She stepped onto the launch pad and does a little flip in the air before landing. “Wanna mark out the path then I’ll follow?” 

Frisk nodded and launched around a few times, testing which direction they needed to go. Tallon watched them fly around for a moment before something caught her eye. A child, kind of on the heavy side with a greenish tint to them, launched to the platform in front of her, then down, almost in a panic. “Hey, Frisk!” They looked over at her, “I’ll go check out the lower path if you want to check the higher one!” She launched across and followed the green child. 

On the lower path was a launch pad that rotated. The green child tripped, getting launched to the right while their frying pan was sent off to the left. Tallon watched the pan roll around on it’s edges before falling flat. The figure was gone. She timed her jump...and launched to the left. 

The frying pan was well used, a few scratches on the inside and a burn mark on the outside, but well taken care of. The child that lost it must have loved to cook. She made room for it in her bag, and drank some of their spider cider, needing something cool to combat the heat. Seeing no other way back to the previous platform, she stepped onto the conveyor belt floor. It brought her to the platform, luckily, and she moved back towards Frisk. “Found a frying pan but no exit. How about you?”

Frisk was waving their hands excitedly, yes! It’s over this way!” As Tallon launched across the platforms, the phone beeped. 

**omg ive had my claw over the last digit for 5 minutes**

**omg i’m just gonna do it**

**i’m just gonna call!!!!**

As Tallon met up with Frisk, it began to ring. She flipped it open to answer, but the call dropped. Whoever was calling hung up before it connected. Tallon was getting annoyed by their scientist friend.

* * *

 

“Of course there are lasers. Why wouldn’t there be lasers?” Tallon complained, making Frisk laugh. “They look like the dog’s attacks, so move when it’s orange and stop when the blue gets close, okay?”

“Alright.”

They moved towards the lasers when the phone rang again. Tallon answered before Alphys had a chance to hang up again, “Uhh! H-hi, so, the blue lasers...uhh! I mean, Alphys here! Hi! The blue lasers won’t hurt you if you don’t move. O-orange ones, um...y-you have to be moving, and they...um, they won’t, um…” Tallon felt sorry for the nervous monster, so she stayed quiet while Alphys stumbled through this. “Move through those ones!”

“Oh, alright,” Tallon said, pretending she didn’t already know that. There was an awkward silence before Alphys rushed out a nervous “uhh, bye!” and hung up.

As Frisk passed through the orange lasers the phone beeped. 

**OMG I DID IT!!!**

**Claws haven’t shook like that since undyne called me to ask about the weather...v.v**

Tallon put a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh.  _ These two are hopeless. _ She passed through the orange lasers and waited for the blue to pass by her. Alphys updated her status again.

**WAIT THERE’S NO WEATHER DOWN HERE WHY DID SHE CALL ME**

Frisk pressed a button at the end of the hall, turning off the lasers. Tallon laughed loudly, waving them back over and showing them the messages. 

“I’m gonna help them get together,” Frisk declared. 

“I’m sure you will. For now, let’s keep moving. I’m sure there’s more lasers we need to watch for.”

* * *

 

As they walk, Alphys continued to flipping out on Undernet. 

**Oh My God i Forgot to Tell THem Where To Go**

**CUte PIC OF ME RIGHT NOW ^.^** (news flash: it was a picture of a garbage can with a pink, glittery filter over it)

The phone rang just as Tallon was putting it away, she put it to her ear. “Hello?” She tried to hide her annoyance. 

“A-A-Alphys here!!!! Th...the northern door will stay locked until you...s-solve the puzzles on the right and left! I...I think you sh-should g-g-go to the right first!” 

“Tha-” The call ended. “Thanks. Frisk!” Tallon called, stopping them from stepping on the launch pad. “Alphys said we should go right first. Are we following her advice?” Frisk jumped back on the pad, launching themself to the left. “Guess not.”

Alphys called again as they stood in front of the laser. Two monsters stood on the other side, both in schoolgirl outfits. “Alphys! Here! Th-that blue laser seems totally impossible! B-b-but! As as the Royal Scientist, I h-have some tricks up my sleeve! I’ll h-hack into th-the Hotland laser database and take it out!” The call ended.

_ As the Royal Scientist, wouldn’t she have been the one to create all this? Why would she have to hack the system? _ The voice didn’t respond, but seemed pleased with her line of thought. The laser went out. Tallon waved for Frisk to enter the room and ran to the purple monster first, “Are you alright?”

“We were hanging out when suddenly, a bunch of puzzles reactivated out of nowhere. This is a huge problem...it rules! They’ve GOTTA cancel school over this!” the monster did a little flip on her skateboard, making Tallon laugh.

“As long as you’re alright then.” She turned to the green one, a flame monster similar to Grillby. “And you? Are you alright?"

“Yes! Finally! Someone turned off that laser! Now that we’re free we can...well, uh, I guess we’ll just keep standing here.” There was dark spots where her cheeks were as she glanced at the other monster. 

Tallon didn’t ask. “Alright, just be safe alright? And get out of here before those things activate again!” She turned to see Frisk stepping out of the room. “How was it?”

“Easy! It’s like an arcade game!” Frisk waved for her to hurry up and began heading back, “Let’s get to the other one now!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M FREE I'M FREE (clank) dang it...  
> As noted by my obscure Hunchback of Notre Dame reference, I'm on winter break! To celebrate surviving finals week, here's a chapter! And maybe even another one really soon!  
> And for those wondering how the scene in the last chapter ends...well, guess you'll have to wait and find out, won't you? Maybe Sans has some information about it...I wonder where he could be...  
> Questions, Comments, Concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below,  
> -JM


	23. Blue Cheeks and Green Children

No lasers on the other side,  _ probably why Alphys wanted us to start here _ , Tallon thought, but two monsters sat near the edge of the rocks. Frisk ran in to play the game while she went to chat. “How’s it going?”

“The way to work is blocked, so I had time to catch Mettaton’s show on my phone...the special effects were amazing today! That human almost looked REAL!” The monster laughed, “Of course, an experienced viewer like me knows CGI when they see it…”

Tallon nodded, unsure if she should correct him or not. “Do you like him as well?” she asked the smokey looking monster.

“Mettaton? Yeah, he’s the most popular star in the underground! His fan club probably has at least two...no, THREE dozen members!”

She was sure down here that was considered a lot, but on the surface world that would only get you noticed by the local news. Frisk stepped out and ran back to the vents, eager to move on and do more puzzles.  _ Maybe we should visit with Papyrus so they can...let off some steam? _

_ Save The Jokes For Someone Who Wants To Hear Them. _

_ Maybe I will _ , Tallon mentally stuck out her tongue at the voice as she followed Frisk. The phone beeped.

**wonder if it would be unfun if i explained the puzzle…**

They launched to the door, and it slowly began to open. If Alphys wanted to explain them, she’d missed her chance. It really was starting to feel like a bad anime, the ‘helpful’ sidekick keeps blundering and missing their chance to shine, until it’s all revealed that they’re actually useless. The phone in her back pocket proved that Alphys wasn’t useless, so what other twist could this end with?

The next area was much the same, vents lead to more vents, a puzzle to get to the puzzles.  _ Beep. _

**whatever!!! i’ll just explain it!!!**

Tallon held her finger over the answer button, it rang. “Uuuh, I think...um...Hey! About the puzzles on the left and right…! They’re a bit difficult to explain, but-”

“We’re already through the door, Alphys,” she explained. 

“...uhhh, you already s-solved them? Awesome!”  _ Click. _

Tallon can see why Frisk passed the phone to her, but how did they know Alphys would be like this?

_ Why Do You See The Ghosts Of Past Children? Why Can You Visit Other Timelines? Things Are Never As They Seem When It Comes To The Underground. _

Frisk held her hand and they launched across the platforms together, Tallon holding Frisk close and doing tricks while they were in the air. The other side was a blue tile rather than stone, and Tallon had a bad feeling about it.

Inside the next area was pitch black. Alphys called again, “H-hey, it’s kind of dark in there, isn’t it?”

“A bit.” 

“Don’t worry! I’ll hack into the light system and brighten it up!”  _ Click _ .

_ Again with the hacking, shouldn’t she have been the one installing it? _

_ What Did I Just Say? _

_ Things are not what they appear. Got it. _

The lights came on, a kitchen set is revealed. “Oh no...” Tallon sighed, taking her place off to the side as Mettaton popped out behind the counter.

“OHHHH YES!!! WELCOME, BEAUTIES, TO THE UNDERGROUND’S PREMIER COOKING SHOW!!!”  A glittering sign lit up below them, reading  _ Cooking with a Killer Robot _ . “PREHEAT YOUR OVENS, BECAUSE WE’VE GOT A VERY SPECIAL RECIPE FOR YOU TODAY! WE’RE GOING TO BE MAKING...A CAKE! MY LOVELY ASSISTANT HERE WILL GATHER THE INGREDIENTS. EVERYONE GIVE THEM A BIG HAND!!!” Mettaton clapped as confetti rained down on Frisk. “WE’LL NEED SUGAR, MILK, AND EGGS. GO FOR IT, SWEETHEART!”

As Frisk went around the room picking up the items needed, Tallon watched from the side. She found Mettaton’s demeanor charming, despite his end goal to kill them.  _ He has a passion for entertaining, and seems to genuinely adore his fans.  _

_ Well, He Adores The Attention They Give Him. _

_ He could learn to appreciate the ones giving him attention one day. He’ll be a big hit once he sees his fans as people, rather than objects to give him attention. _

Frisk gently sat down the ingredients, “PERFECT! GOOD JOB, BEAUTIFUL! WE’VE GOT ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS WE NEED TO BAKE THE CAKE! MILK...SUGAR...EGGS...OH MY! WAIT A MAGNIFICENT MOMENT! HOW COULD I FORGET!!! WE’RE MISSING THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT!”

The mellow music stopped, Tallon sighed as she saw Mettaton lift a chainsaw.  _ Welp. That’s happening now. _

“A HUMAN SOUL!!!!” Mettaton slowly rolled towards Frisk, and Tallon wondered why he was dragging it out.  _ For suspense maybe?  _ The sound of a phone ringing filled the room. Mettaton paused and pressed one of the buttons on his front. “HELLO…? I’M KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING HERE.”

Alphys shouted out, “W-wait a second!!! Couldn’t you make a...couldn’t you use a...couldn’t you make a substitution in the recipe?!” 

Mettaton paused, “A SUBSTITUTION? YOU MEAN, USE A DIFFERENT, NON HUMAN INGREDIENT? WHY?”

“Uhh, what if someone’s…” Alphys was out of her depth, Tallon could tell, “vegan?” 

Mettaton seemed annoyed, “VEGAN?”

Alphys was crumbling, “Uh, well, I mean-”

“THAT’S A BRILLIANT IDEA, ALPHYS!! ACTUALLY, I HAPPEN TO HAVE AN OPTION RIGHT HERE!!! MTT-BRAND ALWAYS-CONVENIENT HUMAN-SOUL-FLAVOR-SUBSTITUTE! A CAN OF WHICH...IS JUST OVER ON THAT COUNTER!!!”

Tallon cringed at how staged that felt, and the convenience of his ‘product’. She looked over at the counter, wondering what was going to happen when Frisk tried to get it.

“WELL, DARLING? WHY DON’T YOU GO GET IT?” 

“Alright…” Frisk walked over to the counter, and as they drew near it began to shake. When they reached out for the can, Tallon cried out for them to stand back, they pulled back in time for the counter to launch high in the air, suddenly several stories high. 

Tallon ran over to them as Mettaton explained, “BY THE WAY, OUR SHOW RUNS ON A STRICT SCHEDULE. IF YOU CAN’T GET THE CAN IN THE NEXT ONE MINUTE...WE’LL JUST HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN!!! SO...BETTER START CLIMBING, BEAUTIFUL!!!” Mettaton launched into the air alongside the counter.

The phone rang. “Oh no!!! There’s not enough time to climb up! F-f-fortunately, I might have a plan! When i was upgrading your phone, I added a few...features. You see that huge button that says...JETPACK? Watch this!”

Tallon handed the phone off to Frisk as it transformed, “Wow,” She muttered, “how convenient.” 

“There! You should have just fuel to reach the top! Now, get up there!!!” Frisk jumped up, launching after Mettaton. Tallon watched as they ducked and swirled around Mettaton’s attacks. As Frisk reached the top it was hard to hear Mettaton, but she had a feeling he was wrapping up the show. Frisk slowly lowered back to the ground. 

Alphys called again, “Wow! We...we did it!!! We...we really did it!!! Great job out there, team!” Frisk cheered with her, then she continued, “W-well, uh, anyway, let’s keep heading forward!!!”

“Okay!” Frisk said, just before the call ended. They handed the phone back to Tallon. “Let’s go!”

* * *

 

An ominous structure looming in the distance. They paused so that Tallon could pull out her camera and snap a picture of it. The phone rang.

“S-see that building in the distance? That’s the CORE. The source of all power for the Undergound. It converts geothermal energy into magical electricity, by...uhh, anyway, that’s where we’re going to go. In the CORE is an elevator directly to Asgore’s castle. And from there...you can go home!”  _ Click. _

There was an elevator at the end of the path, Tallon knew that’s where they needed to go, but she was distracted by the gray figure off to the side of it. She let Frisk hit the button, and looked towards the figure.

“Alphys might work faster. But the old Royal Scientist, Doctor W.D. Gaster? One day, he vanished without a trace. They say he shattered across time and space. Ha ha...how can I say so without fear? I’m holding a piece of him right here.” Tallon looked down at his hands, a mess of gray goop oozed in his fingers. Tallon felt a chill crawl up her spine.

There was a  _ tink! _ and the elevator door opened. The figure was gone. As they entered the elevator, Tallon mulled over the gray monster’s words.  _ Gaster… _

The voice seemed to flinch at the name.  _ As Usual, We Should Ignore These Phantoms.  _

That was the advice she always ignored.  _ How long has Alphys been the royal scientist? _

_A While._

The doors opened, Tallon dropped the subject. There was a small fire monster outside that Frisk went to talk to. “Heh. I’m Heats Flamesman. Remember my name!” Frisk nodded. 

“C’mon, kiddo.” Frisk followed Tallon as she walked along the path. A familiar song filled the air as a snow covered roof came into sight. Frisk jumped excitedly and ran ahead.

Sans sat in his sentry station, two monsters hovering nearby. As the kid talked, Tallon chatted with the monsters. The Vulkin is very pleased that they have a hotdog, but the Harpy was snooty about the snow on Sans’s roof, calling him lazy for not cleaning it off. “Maybe he just likes to keep his cool,” Tallon snarked. She heard muffled laughter behind her. Ignoring the grumbles of the Harpy, she turned around to see Sans laughing into his hand and Frisk with several hotdogs balanced on their head. 

“Well, that’s a thing that is happening in front of my eyes.” She said, making Sans laugh more. “Now, now, don’t laugh you two. We need to set a record here. She took out her camera and snapped a few shots of Sans stacking them, then waited until he stopped, “What’s wrong?”

“i’ll be ‘frank’ with you. as much as i like putting hot dogs on their head...thirty is just an excessive number. twenty-nine, now that’s fine, but thirty...does it look like my arms can reach that high?” He winked. 

Tallon smiled, but narrowed her eyes. She’d been watching him use magic for the last 10 ‘dogs, and even had a picture of him using it, but she let it slide. “Alright, twenty-nine it is. Hold still, Frisk. Let me get a picture…” She backed up so that the whole stack was in frame and snapped two. As Frisk moved to come see, the ‘dogs tumbled; Tallon got a picture of that as well. 

“Oh...sorry, Sans.” Frisk kicked a ‘dog at their feet, looking ashamed. 

“‘s alright, kid. i was about to pack this joint up anyway.” Sans waved them over, “how’re you likin’ hotland?” Frisk reached up and pulled down a handful of snow, holding it against their face and letting out a sigh of relief. Sans chuckled, “yeah, i feel ya.” He looked over at Tallon, who was taking a picture of Frisk. “how ‘bout you? how you holdin’ up?”

She handed him one of the pictures of the ‘dog stack, “I’ve been better, I’ve been worse. It’s hot here but at least it’s flat. I’ve climbed in similar heat and it is not pretty.” She set her bag on the counter and began to tuck away her camera, trying to find something to wipe Frisk’s face with. “How’s Pap?”

Sans nodded, “he’s doin’ good, but i don’t know how long my kitchen can handle undyne bein’ there.”

Tallon gave him a sly smile, “Has the bruise faded?”

He looked around, “i mean i don’t know what you’re talkin’ about ‘cause she told us she’d kill us if we ever talked about it, but yeah. it’s faded. can’t believe you actually landed a solid punch on her, be glad you didn’t aim for the face.”

Tallon laughed, “Yeah, I had a feeling if I’d gone for the face she woulda killed me then and there, even if she’d asked for it.” She fround, unable to find a cloth to give Frisk. “Hey Sans, do you have-”

“a wonderful sense of humor? Sometimes.” He chuckled and pulled a few napkins out from under the counter. “here, kid. you’re drippin’ all over the place.”

Frisk took the napkins and patted their face. “Thanks.”

“Snow problem, kid.”

Tallon thumped his arm, “Alright now, none of that.”

“None of what? My dripping good looks?” He dramatically fanned at his face and batted his eye sockets. 

Tallon laughed, leaning against the counter. Frisk was already on the ground in a fit of giggles. “Alright, okay, you win. Enough…” She sat on the counter, tucking one leg under her so she could turn sideways and see him as they talked. Frisk wandered off when they saw a Pyrope monster. “Did you guys watch the show earlier?”

Sans nodded, “undyne suplexed the couch when Frisk answered the last question…while pap and i were on it.”

Tallon thought that would make a lovely picture, “Sorry I missed it.” She thought about how much Sans must watch because of Papyrus…“Do you think...it seemed a little staged?”

Sans stared at her for a minute, “pap didn’t notice anything ‘cause that’s his idol, but yeah. mettaton seemed a little peeved during both shows. only time he sounded like himself was when he was teasing alphys.”

“That’s what I thought…” She leaned close to him, staring him in the sockets. “We can trust her, right?”

“yes.” There was no hesitance in his answer. 

Tallon stared at him a moment longer, then took a deep breath. “Alright. I trust you, and if you say she’s alright then I’ll stop doubting her.”

“she knows what she’s doing, or at least what she thinks she’s doing. she…” He paused, looking down at the picture of Frisk. “she’s smart, but she doesn’t have a lot of confidence in herself. but she tries, ya know?”

“So she’s helpful, but she’s trying to be obvious about it because she’s not confident?”

“yeah, somethin’ like that. And mettaton owes her for his body, and the one she’s still finishing, so he’ll do anything for her.” 

Tallon smiled at him, “Sounds like a certain pair of brothers I know.”

“or a certain pair of humans?”

Tallon looked to Frisk, who was exploring nearby. “Maybe…” The phone beeped. Tallon pulled it out of her back pocket, “Alphys updated her status.”

**Dinner with the girlfriend ;)** (the attached picture was of a catgirl figurine next to a bowl of instant noodles)

Tallon shook her head, setting the phone on the counter for Sans to look at. “I can’t believe the royal scientist is such a weebo.”

“Wewhat?”

“Someone obsessed with anime and other parts of japanese culture...” Tallon put her other leg on the counter, knee bent so she could rest her head against it. “Mind if I..” She waved her hand towards his roof.

“Snow skin off my bones.”

“You already used snow,” she scolded, getting a handful and rubbing it on her face, then her arms and legs. It felt nice. The phone beeped again. Sans checked it, bursting into laughter. “What?” He handed her a napkin to wipe her hands, then the phone. Papyrus had updated his status in response.

**ARE WE POSTING HOT “PICS???”**

**HERE IS ME AND MY COOL FRIEND** (It’s a picture of Papyrus flexing in front of a mirror. He is wearing sunglasses, and giant muscular biceps pasted onto his arms, also wearing sunglasses)

Tallon stared at the image, then at Sans who had his head down on the counter, muffling his laughter. “Frisk!” she called, giggling like an idiot and almost falling off the counter waving for them. Sans put a hand around her waist to keep her in place. 

“What’s so funny?” Frisk asked, taking the phone from her. They scrolled down through the recent posts and slapped a hand over their mouth. “That’s so cool!” they cried, laughing with them. They got distracted by a passing Tsunderplane and handed the phone back. “Whenever you’re ready, Tallon.”

She nodded, still giggling as she looked at the picture again.

“what did you make the kid’s username?” Sans asked, trying to calm down the laughter.

She showed it to him, and when he gave her a questioning look she waved towards the blushing Tsunderplane. They broke into laughter again. Tallon curled against him for support, not wanting to fall off the counter as she laughed. Sans pressed his head against her shoulder in return.

They slowly calmed down, realizing their position. Tallon could see Frisk obviously not looking at them, and whispered, “We should probably keep going…”

Sans nodded, the cool bone feeling nice against her hot skin, “probably…”

They stayed that way for a minute, their eyes closed. Tallon revelled in the coolness of his body, even though he was in Hotland he still felt as chilled as he would in Snowdin. Was it a skeleton monster thing? A Sans thing? Or was it that he was still in a station covered in snow? She took a deep breath to calm herself, but got a lungful of  _ Sans… _

A small  _ click _ caught her attention. Her eyes shot open, her body straightening. Sans looked like he wanted to protest her sudden movement, then followed her stunned gaze. Frisk was holding her camera and waving a picture back in forth.  _ The little brat took a picture of us! _

“well hey there, lil buddy.” Sans said, a blue blush spreading across his cheekbones. “whatcha got there?”

Frisk hands it over to him, the blush deepens. Tallon reaches for her camera and snaps a quick shot of Sans. He’s holding the picture, his sockets wide, his pupils a pinprick, and his cheeks are a deep blue. She quickly puts it in her bag before he can take it from her.

“fine, but I’m keeping this one.” He waves the one Frisk took near her face, then tucks it in his jacket. 

“I don’t get to look at it?” Tallon complained, trying to reach in his jacket after it. Frisk giggled at them, and she backed off, remembering a child is watching. Her own cheeks are probably as red as Sans’s are blue. “Fine. Be that way.” She sticks her tongue out at him and he winks. Tallon hops down from the counter and starts adjusting her bag onto her back. “We’ll be off then.”

Sans waved at them until they were out of sight. Tallon checked to see if there were any updates while she was-

_Flirting?_

-talking with Sans.

**Alphys: LOL, CoolSkeleton95!**

**Alphys:...that’s a joke, right?**

**Papyrus: THE ONLY JOKE HERE, IS HOW STRONG MY MUSCLES ARE!**

Tallon shakes her head and looks up to call for Frisk. There, looking around nervously, was the green child again. They do a coin toss on which way to go and head to the left. Tallon touches Frisk’s shoulder, “Wait here, I’ll check down there.” Frisk nodded.

As she walked, Napstablook sent  **FriskyBusiness** a friend request. She went to accept it, but it already rejected itself. Tallon sent him a friend request back, and he accepted.

The green child walked around the empty space before throwing down it’s apron in frustration and going back up the way they’d came. 

Tallon picked it up and carried it to Frisk, “Think you can wear this or would it be too hot?”

Frisk looped the top around their head and tied the middle around their waist. “Should I tuck it into the tutu?”

Tallon looked at them, the bottom of the apron laying awkwardly against the tutu. “Whatever’s comfortable.”

Frisk tucked it into the tutu, walked around a bit, then pulled it back out. “This works.”

Tallon nodded, “Alright, let’s keep going forward then.”

* * *

 

Alphys called at the next puzzle, “H...hi…! It’s Dr. Alphys. This p-puzzle is kinda...um...timing-based. Y-you see those switches over there? Y-you’ll have to press all three of them within three seconds. I’ll t-try to help you with the rhythm!” She hung up. 

“Want the phone then, kiddo? She’s apparently going to help you.” Tallon held it out to Frisk.

They thought it over, “Alright.” As they got on the conveyor belt floor, they clutched the phone in their left hand, and raised their right hand so they could hit the buttons as they passed. One...two...th- _ RING... _

Frisk looked down at the phone and missed the last button. Alphys had distracted them from pressing it and now they were getting ready to try again. Suddenly, they looked back at the laser and it was gone. Tallon rode the floor to them, “What happened?”

Frisk handed back the phone, “Alphys said we only had to hit two of them.”

Tallon put the phone in her pocket, remembering what Sans had said. She wants to prove she’s helpful, and sometimes gets in the way of herself. They walked on, finding a maze of vents. The phone beeped.

**that’s the last time i try to help with a puzzle lmao**

_ Ring.  _ “Uh, h-h-hey! I’m going to the bathroom, so I’ll be MIA for a bit. I’m...I’m sure you can handle this puzzle yourself!”  _ Click. _

_ Damnit Alphys... _ “Alright, Frisk. Let’s do this one at the same time so we don’t mess it up for the second person.” They took her hand and they jumped from vent to vent together, trying different patterns until they finally reached the other side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoohoo a new chapter! And some cute shippy things~ I got a tablet near the beginning of this past semester, so after I order some new nibs I might draw a few scenes from this if I can figure out a style I'm comfortable with? I'm still on break for around 2 weeks, so I should be able to crank out a few more updates and work on my drawings. My schedule next semester is really weird but I'll try to update whenever I can.  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Comment below!  
> -JM


	24. Somewhere, There is Rain

Tallon was getting annoyed with the good doctor, who was using a site that was essentially Underground Twitter to rant about some anime movie sequel, causing their phone to buzz constantly while they walked. 

She was also annoyed that they were now being stopped by the two royal guardsmen she’d been worried about earlier. Of course they’d come back to bite her in the ass. Tallon was sitting in the hot dirt drinking a bottle of water, which had been snow only moments before. She almost did a spit-take when the second guard removed it’s armor because of the heat. The first guard could barely stop glancing at the second’s bare chest, his scales glistening with sweat. Frisk noticed too, and waved the first down to whisper in his long ears. 

“I...I…” the guard stuttered, the traditional fight music faded away and was replaced with a slow, hopeful melody. “D-dude...I can’t...I can’t take this anymore! Not like this!! Like, 02! I like...I like, LIKE you, bro! The way you fight...the way you talk...I love doing team attacks with you. I love standing here with you, bouncing and waving our weapons in sync...02...I, like, want to stay like this forever…”

They waited with bated breaths as the second guard processed his partner’s words, the world silent, even their SOUL’s were hushed. 

The guard cracked under the silence, “Uh...I mean, uh...psyche! Gotcha, bro!!! Haha?” 

Tallon almost felt sorry for the guy, and was about to call out something encouraging when the second guard finally spoke, “...01…”

“Y-yeah, bro??” the bro was almost forced.

“...do you want to...get some ice cream...after this?”

There was a sigh of relief that swept across the other three. “Sure, dude! Haha!” The guards were looking at each other happily, forgetting all about the fight.

Frisk spared them in a heartbeat, waving as they walked away, hand in hand. “They’re cute,” they said.

“I ship it.” Tallon shouldered her bag and got off the ground. She ignored the kid’s confused look and handed them the last of the water. “Drink. Gotta stay hydrated in this heat.”

They slowly drank the rest of the water as they walked. The phone buzzed again.

**oopswait how’s the humnan doing**

Then again.

**Top 10 Shows That Make You Forget To Do Your Frickin Job**

Tallon could sympathize with that one. The the phone rang, so she handed it to Frisk. She heard Alphys mention hacking again, and tried not to roll her eyes. As the lights came on they could hear a rapid alert sound that reminded Tallon of a news broadcast…

Alphys voiced her thoughts, “Are you serious?”

A distant, “OHHHHHH YESSS!!!” Answered. “GOOD EVENING, BEAUTIES AND GENTLEBEAUTIES! THIS IS METTATON, REPORTING LIVE FROM MTT NEWS! AN INTERESTING SITUATION HAS ARISEN IN EASTERN HOTLAND! FORTUNATELY, OUR CORRESPONDENTS ARE OUT THERE, REPORTING LIVE! BRAVE CORRESPONDENT! PLEASE FIND SOMETHING NEWSWORTHY TO REPORT! OUR TEN WONDERFUL VIEWERS ARE WAITING FOR YOU!!”

Frisk waved, hoping that they were facing the right direction, and began wandering around the area. Tallon hung back, watching. There were several items around them, a glass of water, a book of some sort, a basketball, a video game cartridge, a dog, and a present. Tallon had a bad feeling about every single one of them, even the dog...which looked suspiciously like the one that terrorizes Papyrus. 

She watched them wander between the items, Mettatton making little comments here and there trying to help them choose what to report on. They ended up picking the dog, mostly because they wanted to pet it. 

“ATTENTION, VIEWERS! OUR CORRESPONDENT HAS FOUND...A DOG!” An ‘awe’ soundtrack plays, “THAT’S RIGHT, FOLKS! IT’S THE FEEL-GOOD STORY OF THE YEAR! LOOK AT ITS LITTLE EARS, TINY PAWS, FLUFFY TAIL…” Mettatton paused, “WAIT A SECOND. THAT’S NOT A TAIL! THAT’S...A FUSE!” And with that the dog’s tail lit on fire. Tallon facepalmed at Frisk’s disappointed face, their lack of fear making her anxious. Mettatton continued his ‘news report’, “THAT’S RIGHT...THAT DOG...IS A BOMB!!! BUT DON’T PANIC! YOU HAVEN’T EVEN SEEN THE REST OF THE ROOM YET!!!” 

Tallon should have realized that the wall over to her right had been made of cardboard, really she should have. As it fell away, revealing Mettatton in a lovely red suit, she wanted to hit her head against the ground in order to end her suffering with his games. 

“IT SEEMS EVERYTHING IN THIS AREA IS ACTUALLY A BOMB!” He revealed, to no one’s surprise. “THAT PRESENT’S A BOMB! THAT BASKETBALL’S A BOMB! EVEN MY WORDS ARE…!” Tallon assumed this was added for the tv, as there were no floating words around them that could be used as bombs. Neat trick, though. “BRAVE CORRESPONDENT...IF YOU DON’T DEFUSE ALL OF THE BOMBS...THE BIG BOMB ABOVE WILL BLOW YOU TO SMITHEREENS IN TWO MINUTES! THEN YOU WON’T BE REPORTING ‘LIVE’ ANY LONGER!” Had that not been a threat towards their lives, Tallon would have laughed. It was right up her alley, that bit of anti-humor. “HOW TERRIBLE! HOW DISTURBING! OUR NINE VIEWERS ARE GOING TO LOVE WATCHING THIS! GOOD LUCK DARLING!” 

Tallon was almost offended that they’d lost two viewers. She could hear Alphys over the phone stuttering orders to Frisk, something about a program on their phone that conveniently defused bombs. Frisk went for the dog first, defusing it effortlessly and giving it a gentle pat before moving on. Tallon went up to the ‘big bomb’ and watched the timer, calling it out whenever Frisk asked. 

Frisk joined her for a moment to get the basketbomb and then ran to the center for the glass of bomb, finishing just as the timer hit 10 seconds. Mettatton came flying back, the bored tone back in his robotic voice, “WELL DONE, DARLING! YOU’VE DEACTIVATED ALL OF THE BOMBS! IF YOU DIDN’T DEACTIVATE THEM, THE BIG BOMB WOULD HAVE EXPLODED IN TWO MINUTES. NOW IT WON’T EXPLODE IN TWO MINUTES! INSTEAD IT WILL EXPLODE IN TWO SECONDS! GOODBYE, DARLING!”

Tallon glanced at the ‘big bomb’ and noticed the time wasn’t moving. Mettatton waited the appointed two seconds before speaking, “AH. IT SEEMS THE BOMB ISN’T GOING OFF.”

Alphys called in, “That’s b-because!!! While you were monologuing...I…!!! I f...fix...um...i ch-change…” 

Tallon’s suspicions towards Alphys were confirmed as Mettatton cut in, “OH NO. YOU DEACTIVATED THE BOMB WITH YOUR HACKING SKILLS.”

“Yeah! That’s what I did!”

“CURSES! IT SEEMS I’VE BEEN FOILED AGAIN! CURSE YOU, HUMAN! CURSE YOU, DR. ALPHYS, FOR HELPING SO MUCH! BUT I DON’T CURSE MY EIGHT WONDERFUL VIEWERS FOR TUNING IN!!! UNTIL NEXT TIME, DARLING!” He flew off, without another monologue. 

Frisk cheered with Alphys on the phone, then tucked it in their pocket. “Let’s keep going!”

~~~

They passed the Core again, the hollow sounds of metalwork echoing around them. Alphys called again, offering words of reassurance about fighting Asgore. As they neared the elevator, Tallon noticed a gray figure hovering nearby. Frisk ran ahead to press the button, Tallon paused by the monster to listen to them speak.

“I understand why Asgore waited so long to hire a new Royal Scientist. The previous one...Dr. Gaster. His brilliance was irreplaceable. However, his life...was cut short. One day, his experiments went wrong, and…” It paused for a moment, the doors sliding open. “Well, I didn’t gossip. After all, it’s rude to talk about someone who’s listening.”

Tallon stepped into the elevator with Frisk, her gut screaming at her about the importance of these monster’s statements, the voice in her head assuring her that  _ They’re All Just Lost Souls, And Know Not What They Say. _ Once again, telling her to ignore them. 

When the door opened, another was waiting for her. “It makes sense why Asgore took so long to hire a new Royal Scientist,” the monster echoed, “After all, the old one...Dr. Gaster. What an act to follow! They say he created the Core. However, his life...was cut short. One day, he fell into his creation, and…” It paused, and Tallon expected the same phrase as before about Gaster listening, she felt sick when it finally spoke again, “Will Alphys end up the same way?”

Frisk was well ahead of her, talking to a few panicked monsters surrounding a table. Tallon finally moved forwards as they neared the table, a spider like monster greeting them in a high-whispery voice.  “Welcome to our parlor, dearie~ Interested in some spider pastries? All proceeds go to real spiders!” 

Tallon remembered the sign from the Ruins “Frisk, want to check it out?”. Frisk eagerly ran to the webs to look at the goods, but the prices were far too high for them, or really anyone, to afford. “Ah, I’m afraid we can’t today. But maybe some other time! That’s a beautiful outfit, by the way.” She waved a hand towards the maroon and black ensemble, “I especially love the color.” 

The spider monster blushed black against her purplish face and giggled. “Well, thank you dearie~ my little spiders made it for me.”

Frisk waved a goodbye and they moved on.

* * *

 

There was another two roomed puzzle like before. Alphys offered help this time, then began babbling about all the embarrassing things she’s been posting on UnderNet before hanging up. Frisk went ahead, and called out the correct path when they reached the upper platform. Frisk dragged her in to play the game and Tallon figured it out quickly enough. 

When they exited the room two monsters who hadn’t been there before were standing on either edge of the area. Both were diamond shaped, with trendy clothes. The pink one said, “My fave Mettaton Moment? Right when everything looks the baddest, he poses dramatically. Like when he’s on a cooking show and the eggs don’t turn out right.”

The green one stated, “My fave Mettaton Moment is when he beats up the heel turning villains! Even if it’s during what’s supposed to be a quiz show.”

Tallon holds Frisk’s hand as they jump across the vents again.

* * *

 

As Frisk braves crossing through the lasers, Tallon gets another phone call from Alphys. “Hey! This um, doesn’t have anything to do with guiding you...but...uhh, hey, would you want to watch a human tv show together??? Sometime??? It’s called, um, M...Mew Mew Kissy Cutie…”

Tallon hesitated, not wanting to hurt her feelings but also not interested in her animes either. “Sure. I’ll ask Frisk about it.”

“Really? It’s so good! It’s um, my favorite show!” And then she proves it by rambling on and on until finally: “We should watch it! After you’re through with all this!”  _ Click. _

Frisk finally comes back and they head to the next door.

* * *

 

As the doors opened a chill ran up Tallon’s spine. They walked on, a musty smell surrounding them, something that reminded Tallon of-

“Spider webs?” Frisk gave her a curious look. “Seriously, look around!” They did. Tallon pointed towards a few strands of web around the building in front of them but shrugged.

“We have to keep going.”

So they did.

* * *

 

And Tallon regretted it immediately. Hundreds of small, wispy voices surrounded them, talking about rumors of them: that they’d be coming by, that they hated spiders, that they torture them with glee. Tallon kept out of the web all over the floor but Frisk ran headfirst into it, knowing that they’d have to defend their honor. 

“I heard,” a familiar voice rang out, “that they’re stingy with their money.” A web lowered the monster from the booth. “Ahuhuhuhu...you think your taste is too refined for our pastries, don’t you, dearie?” Frisk shook their head but the monster didn’t listen, “Ahuhuhu…I disagree with that notion too. I think that your taste...is exactly what this next batch needs!”

The spiders giggled with glee, “Yes, Miss Muffet! Let’s use these humans for our pastries!”

_ Muffet, seriously? _

_ What Is Wrong? _

_ We have a nursery rhyme about a girl named Miss Muffet who gets spooked by a spider. It’s just ironic that the spider monster would have the same name. _

_ You Human’s Have Such Strange Imaginations. _

Muffet’s soul music was similar to that of a kid’s song, upbeat and light, something Tallon would probably hum to herself in years to come. It was similar to a song she’d heard before, based off a scene in a book where everyone was running in circles trying to get dry.

Tallon noticed that, because of the webbing, Frisk struggled to dodge Muffet’s attacks, their range of movement limited. They seemed to be enjoying the challenge though, so she wasn’t too worried. The spiders around her swayed in sync to the music, humming along. 

_ So why didn’t I already see all this? Normally I’ll have dreamed about meeting new boss monsters before we get to them. _

_ For One, Muffet Doesn’t Fall Under That Category, But It’s Also Because...Well, When You See It Later You’ll Understand. _

I nodded along to the music, catching a familiar string of notes:  _ will you won’t you will you won’t you won’t you join the dance… _

The room began to shake as a large muffin spider began crawling after Frisk. Tallon thought it was rather cute, if only it wasn’t trying to eat her companion. Frisk was starting to look tired. “Need a pick-me-up?” She called out. Frisk nodded and she threw a spider cider towards them. They rolled towards it and drank the last of it. Muffet’s attacks stopped. 

“You bought spider products?” she asked.

“From the Ruins!” Frisk explained, throwing the container back to Tallon.

She considered their words, “And you never hurt one of my spiders?”

“I would never!” Frisk was almost offended by the idea of hurting a fly let alone a spider. 

“Oh my, this has all been a big misunderstanding~ I thought you were someone who hated spiders!” She giggled, “The person who asked for that SOUL, they must have meant a different human in a striped shirt~ sorry for all the trouble~ ahuhuhuhu~”

She flicked one of her wrists and a string of webs tied around Tallon. She struggled against them, “What’s going on here?”

“Well now, you’re another human in a striped shirt aren’t you~?”

Tallon took a deep breath and looked to Muffet, “And if I liked to kill spiders, wouldn’t I have done so while you were distracted with Frisk?” The monster considered her words, “Besides! You can’t even summon my SOUL to fight, so why bother with me?”

The spiders danced around her, unafraid. Muffet giggled, “Well, if your SOUL cannot be summoned then it must not have been you. Run along then, dearies~”

Tallon didn’t need to be told twice.

* * *

 

Tallon leaned against a wall, digging through her bag in order to find one of the Nice Creams. Frisk pointed at the poster beside her, “It’s Mettaton! I wonder if we get to do another show with him.” They sounded a little too excited for Tallon’s liking. She wondered if they understood how much of a danger the killer robot posed towards them.

“Maybe.” She looked at the poster herself, then at the phone in her pocket. “It’s almost time for the show, whatever it is. Let’s see what he’s got in store for us now.”

* * *

 

What he had in store was an opera. Tallon was impressed with his voice, and even applauded before he dropped them into the dungeon. She was able to get her hands on Frisk and stop them from landing on their face. She could feel a bruise forming on her butt from landing on rock but ignored the sting in favor of checking over the child. 

Mettaton floated down after them and continued the tale of the poor love interests impending doom. Tallon looked over when he mentioned a tile maze and recognized it from Snowdin. “Here, read over the instructions again.” Frisk glanced them over and then handed them back. Mettaton was urging them to start, as they’d be burned by walls of fire if they didn’t beat the time limit. 

He continued to sing, and Tallon could hear now that his lower register was just as solid as his head voice. She made a mental note to ask Alphys if it was the monster or machinery that gave him the range.  Frisk muddled through the puzzle, trying to guide Tallon tile by tile but kept getting stuck. She took pity on them and lifted them into her arms. She was able to step over certain tiles, and avoided ones that Frisk pointed out. They got through most of the maze when a buzzer went off. 

“OOOOH, I’M SO SORRY! LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE OUT OF TIME!!! HERE COME THE FLAMES, DARLING!”

Tallon curled around Frisk as best she could. She watched the fire slowly crawl towards them.

“THEY’RE CLOSING IN!”

They seemed to move slower.

“GETTING! CLOSER! OH MY!”

Tallon didn’t know if she should be angry or relieved when Mettaton started sounding annoyed. This was another one of Alphys’ plans, then.

“ANY MINUTE NOW!”

The flames stopped a few feet away, close enough to make them sweat but not harm them. Mettaton let out a robotic cough, then his phone rang.

“Watch out!! I’ll save you!!” Alphys said, her voice filled with false confidence. “I’m hacking into the firewall right now!”

The fire was gone, Mettaton sounded bored as he cried, “OH NO!!! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN??? FOILED AGAIN BY THE BRILLIANT DOCTOR ALPHYS!” He waited for a moment, but got no reply. He started to speak again when Alphys caught on.

“That’s right! Come on, Mettaton, give up already! You’ll never be able to defeat us…” 

_ Obviously,  _ Tallon thought,  _ because you’re the mastermind here.  _

_ Hush Now. _

“Not as long as we work together! You’re puzzle’s over...now go home and leave us alone!” 

Mettaton laughed, sending a chill down Tallon’s spine. “PUZZLE? OVER? ALPHYS, DARLING, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT...? DID YOU FORGET WHAT THE GREEN TILES DO? THEY MAKE A SOUND, THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGHT A MONSTER. WELL, DARLING~ NOW YOU’RE GOING TO DIE.” 

Frisk was pulled into battle. Tallon stood off to the side. She could hear Alphys giving Frisk instructions, another convenient button on their phone. Mettaton was hit once by the attack and rolled away, mumbling half-assed words of defeat. 

_ How much longer is he going to be able to do this before he snaps and shows us who he really is? _

_ Not Much Longer, I’d Assume. _

Frisk continued talking with Alphys while they walked. Tallon couldn’t really hear much of the conversation being ahead of them, but she figured they were swapping encouragements. “There’s a hotel up ahead,” Frisk said as they handed her the phone.

“Good. I’m getting tired.”

Frisk noticed the Nice Cream monster before she did, and ran to him. “Hey, little guy! It’s you again!”

Frisk nodded. Tallon ruffled their hair and smiled at the monster, “How’s it been going?”

“Business is excellent here! These two fellas bought ALL my Nice Cream! I’ve actually sold out of everything!!!” He toned down his excitement when he noticed the disappointment on Frisk’s face. “...sorry.” he shuffled his feet then perked up, “Wait! I’ve still got something for you! A big smile! How about that?” The monster leaned down and smiled at Frisk, his face so kind Tallon wanted to squeeze him in a tight hug.

Frisk was laughing and smiled back, “That’s perfect, Mr! We’ll come visit when we get a chance!”

The bunny waved as they moved to talk to the two soldiers.

“Oh, hey. We’re, like, taking a rain check on that killing-you thing. Like, don’t tell Undyne about this, okay?” the first said. 

The other was quiet, but seemed happy. 

“C’mon Frisk. I was promised a hotel.”

* * *

 

After backtracking for a moment to baffle Heat Flamesman with their memory skills, Tallon and Frisk found MTT Resort. Sans was leaning against a potted bush outside. “hey. i heard you’re going to the core. how about grabbing some dinner with me first?”

Tallon noticed he was avoiding her gaze, looking only at Frisk. She pulled out their gold pouch and handed it to Frisk, “Have fun.”

There was a paper on the ground that caught her attention. As they turned down a back alley she picked it up. 

_ I Know You Haven’t Eaten In A While So You Must Be Hungry. Why Did You Not Go With Them? _

_ He obviously just wanted to talk to Frisk. So let them have their little talk or whatever. I don’t care. _

_ That Undertone of Jealousy Says You Do. _

_ Frisk is a child. I’m not jealous of them. _

The paper mentions someone waiting in the other alley with some good deals on goods so she decided to check them out.

* * *

 

There were two monsters, Bratty and Catty, and they were hilarious. Tallon promised to get them some Glamburgers, which were probably sold inside because the name alone screamed METTATON, and mentioned interest in a few of their goods. 

Frisk would love the cowboy hat, and she wouldn’t mind getting the empty gun away from the two clueless monsters. As she looked them over they seemed to have a yellow aura, similar to that of the ghost children. They must have belonged to a previous fallen child. There was also a mystery key that peaked her interest, but she didn’t know how much gold they had. 

She also got some good information about Mettaton. Apparently even other monsters could tell that he and Alphys haven’t been getting along recently, and that there has to be something more to his creation than her building him. They’re too familiar with each other to have known each other for so little time. They also informed her that Alphys built him in order to impress Asgore, but that she went quiet after becoming the Royal Scientist. 

As far as Tallon could tell, that kind of thing only happens when the work is being kept secret from the public. That thought didn’t sit well in her stomach. She thanked the girls for the information and headed back to the front to find Frisk.

* * *

 

They weren’t waiting by the door so she decided to head in alone. They’d probably run into each other inside. A diamond shaped monster waved her over, “Welcome to MTT Resort - Hotland’s biggest apartment-building turned hotel! Whether you’re here for a night or still live here, MTT Resort prides itself on a great stay!”

Tallon noted the water fountain spilling onto the floor and smiled, “Just passing through…”

“Nice!” The monster said, “MTT Resort prides itself on being passed through!”

Tallon wandered away. There was a small group of monsters waiting by an elevator, a hall of rooms to the right, a doorway to the left, and a small shop ahead. Frisk came out of the left room. They put on a fake smile when they saw her and held out the coin bag. “Sans is still in there, if you wanna talk to him. I’m gonna explore a bit.”

“Hold on.” Tallon poured the coins into her hand and counted them. They had plenty to buy the stuff from Bratty and Catty. She pocketed how much she would need for the items, plus a little extra just in case something came up, and left the rest with Frisk. “You might need something while you’re wandering around. Be careful, alright? Come find me if anything goes wrong.”

* * *

 

Sans was on stage when she stepped into the room. He sounded different, the music from his SOUL softer, with an undertone of rainfall. She thought of Snowdin, of promises and awful jokes, and smiled. She felt as though it was raining somewhere else, leaving nothing here but the feeling of warmth and safety.

He was doing a comedy skit, most of his jokes pertaining to annoying Papyrus, but she was so wrapped up in the new sound that she couldn’t follow the jokes. She was guided to a table near the stage. 

He was in his element here, and she was dazzled by the ease he commanded the stage with. He didn’t do anything special, yet you couldn’t look away. His performance was genuine. It was funny, it had heart. Tallon was so distracted that she didn’t notice him walking towards her until he was laughing a few inches from her face. 

She leaned back. His smile seemed gentle, “sorry. said i wouldn’t sneak up on you anymore, didn’t i?”

Tallon was confused, then remembered a conversation in Snowdin, “Didn’t make you promise, just yelled at you for doing it so much.”

“well you shouldn’t have been in that area anyway.” There was something in his tone that made her pause. She didn’t want to start an argument, so she let it go. 

“How was your date with Frisk? Kid seemed a little shaken when I saw them.”

Sans took a seat across from her, “just told ‘em like it is. if things had been different, i wouldn’t be makin’ nice with them is all.”

She thought of the other timeline and shuttered. Sans noticed. 

“should have guessed you’re somehow tangled up in this.” he muttered. “would explain the panic back at the house when you woke up, and the need to check that the weapons are in your bag. mind if i ask what the hell’s goin’ on with you?”

_ He’s Always Been Quick To Catch On. You May Explain, But Not In Detail. _

“I-” She didn’t know how to explain it, honestly, having never been asked about it before. “Ever since I…fell...there’s been this voice that helps me with certain things, who to trust. Where to go. I see things that Frisk and the others can’t, ghosts I would guess, but not the monster kind.” She thought of the items with Bratty and Catty, “I think some of them are human, and some-”

_ Don’t. _

Her companion noticed her hesitation. “that voice talkin’ to ya?” Sans asked.

Tallon nodded, “There are some thing’s I can’t talk about, apparently.”

Frisk ran into the room. They looked around before zeroing in on their table. “Tallon! Do we have any Sea Tea? And a Cinnabunny?” 

Tallon smiled at the kid and shuffled through her bag. “Here,” she said, and handed them the items. “Weird combination but knock yourself out.”

They ran off again and Sans waved his hand for her to continue. “Well, every so often…” She took a deep, steadying breath. “Sometimes, when I go to sleep, I wake up somewhere else. Some other  _ time _ . And Frisk is...well…”

“the real monster,” Sans whispered. He clinched his hand tight and stared at the table between them. “god i’m so sorry you have to deal with that.” He shook his skull and the smile softened as he looked at Tallon, “i’m here if you need to talk about it. ‘s a hard path to travel.”

She nodded, thanking him. “It’s worse because the voice isn’t there, so I don’t know what to do most of the time. I’m just helplessly standing in the background while Frisk-”

The child came into the room again, this time going to Sans. “Do you have another hot dog I could have?”

The smile was tight, but he reached into his jacket and pulled one out for the child. “didn’t you just have a cinnabunny?”

Frisk shrugged, “It’s not for me.”

Alone again, Tallon found herself staring at her bag. 

“so i would guess that the other frisk keeps the weapons, so you check to make sure you have them whenever you’re back in this timeline.”

“Yeah. They let me keep the defensive items, though, so they don’t see me as a target...yet…but it’s fine. I think there’s something I need to learn about when I’m there. So I just follow along and hope for the best.” She smiled, then asked, “So how do you know about the timelines?”

Sans chuckled, low and throaty. “to put it simply, i know a lot about time and space, how they connect and warp.”

“Guess that explains why you can teleport,” she noted.

He nodded, “yeah. taught pap how to do it when he was younger but he didn’t care for it too much, said it was lazy. he kept the bone attacks though, found some joy in using them i guess.”

“So you just happen to know a lot about time and space and theorized that there have to be alternate timelines?”

Sans was silent, thinking. “there’s no easy way to explain, so i guess i’ll have to pass on answerin’ your question, sorry.”

Tallon was about to question him some more when a yawn interrupted, “besides, you need to get some rest. bet the kiddo’s gonna be tired too after running around so much. wish burgerpants luck for me.” Sans stood and walked towards the back of the room. Before Tallon could stop him, Frisk came back into the room and caught her attention. 

“I got us a room!” Frisk said, triumphantly.

She ruffled his hair and shouldered her bag, “thanks, kid. Let’s get some rest.”

* * *

 

They stopped by the shop to stock up on food before heading down the hall.

The room was spacious, the bed massive. Frisk threw themselves on the bottom edge and were still far away from where Tallon was stretching out up top. “G’night, Frisk. We’ll try to hunt down Mettaton in the morning, okay? It’s hot here, so I’m about ready to move on to some place cooler.”

Frisk made an affirmative noise from across the bed.

They both slept. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *a wild author appears  
> *author used upload  
> *IT WAS SUPER EFFECTIVE  
> Sup. Sorry I keep saying I'll be writing more constantly and then go into hiding for months, I've just been busy. I'll post when I can, but hopefully I can finish the next chapter sooner rather than later.   
> Funny you should mention the other timeline, Tallon. It's been a while since you've visited it, hasn't it?  
> *author used foreshadow  
> *Frisk felt their sins crawl on their back  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below!  
> -JM


	25. when death comes a-knockin'

“well whatdya know, all i need to do to catch a human is leave my station alone for a bit,” a familiar tone called.

Tallon opened her eyes to see Sans smiling down at her. She looked around. She was curled around the pillow in his sentry station, drenched in sweat. She sat up slowly to avoid hitting the monster, “...sorry, sans. Frisk wanted to run ahead and...do something, and this is the only place I could find to sleep for a bit.”

“‘s alright. i know all about needin’ a good nap whenever something’s goin’ down.” Sans laughed but it sounded hollow.

She didn’t know what to say. Normally Frisk was back before anyone else, and would wake her. She didn’t think she’d run into sans after everything that happened. “Listen-”

“i don’t blame you, tallon. you’re just as powerless as i am in this situation.” He looked out towards the rest of Hotland, “you should probably go find the kid. i’ve been keepin’ an eye on them, but it’s tiring watching everyone i know get slaughtered.”

Tallon flinched, “I’m sorry Sans…”

“just gotta wait ‘til judgment day, i guess.”

Tallon wanted to ask what he meant but he was already asleep in his chair, head resting against the wall. She slipped out of the station as quietly as she could and walked on.

* * *

 

The lab is empty. Tallon noticed a flashing message on the screen that read EVACUATE THE AREA and shuddered. Alphys must have taken as many monsters as she could and ran.

* * *

 

There were no monsters to be seen, or music to be heard. She bounced across the vents alone and crossed through doors without having to play any games. All the lasers were deactivated.

* * *

 

When she found Frisk they were finishing off the Guard 1. The second one began to shake with rage, “01...you!...!!!!” She felt her heart break when his voice cracked.

Frisk killed him too, then looked back at her. “Oh, I didn’t notice you there. Sorry you had to see that but they were in my way.” Their smile said they weren’t sorry, but she nodded anyway.

They walked on.

* * *

 

The kitchen was empty. As Tallon looked around Frisk went ahead and did their thing. She pretended not to hear the cries of the fallen monsters.

* * *

 

Muffet’s table was deserted, the fake pastries abandoned. Frisk crossed the vents first and Tallon followed more slowly. She knew Muffet’s death was coming and she couldn’t stop it. Maybe she would be able to just miss it?

As Tallon entered the room, Frisk’s soul was being pulled into a battle. It looked so dark…

It was over in one blow, the monster no match for Frisk’s multiple hits. Muffet’s white SOUL floated close, a tinkling,  _ ahuhuhuhu~  _ before it faded away. One of the spiders brought a flower to lay on her web before scampering off.

Tallon wondered what she did to deserve watching everyone die.

* * *

 

Bratty and Catty weren’t in the alley, but there stuff was. Frisk handed over the cowboy hat and admired the gun. “Want the key?”

Tallon startled, not expecting them to talk to her, “Um...no.”

Frisk shrugged and dropped it back on the ground. They headed inside. 

Tallon switched out a few things in the dimensional box while Frisk wondered off. She could hear them knocking on the rooms but there was no reply. They explored the other areas before stopping by her side, “C’mon, let’s check out the shop.”

Burgerpants was an interesting character. Tallon made a note to chat with him in the other timeline. He was cynical, moody, depressed. Tallon knew plenty of angsty teenagers who say the same things on the surface.

They moved forward, and Tallon’s guts twisted. They agreed to split up in order to find Mettaton, but she knew what Frisk really wanted to do. But as Sans said, she was powerless to stop them. Tallon wandered from room to room, the music around her slowing down as she walked until it eventually stopped. 

A chill ran down her spine. 

She found some coins and a glamburger, tucked both away in her bag before walking on. She found Frisk on a stage, where a light was shining brightly on another form across from them. It was humanoid, but still obviously a robot.  _ Is that- _

“AS ANY TRUE FAN WOULD KNOW, I WAS FIRST CREATED AS A HUMAN ERADICATION ROBOT. IT WAS ONLY AFTER BECOMING A STAR THAT I WAS GIVEN A MORE...PHOTOGENIC BODY. HOWEVER, THOSE ORIGINAL FUNCTIONS HAVE NEVER BEEN FULLY REMOVED...YOU’VE PUSHED TOO FAR HUMAN, SO NOW YOU MUST FACE...MY TRUE FORM!” There was a familiar metallic laugh as Mettaton NEO stepped out from under the blinding light. The battle music was intense, like the report music had been but deeper, darker. “IT’S SHOWTIME~!”

Frisk smiled, attacked. Mettaton dropped to his knees. “Gh…” He smiled, oil running down from his lips. His voice trembled as he spoke, “GUESS YOU DON’T WANNA JOIN MY FAN CLUB…?”

Tallon had enough time to duck by the edge of the stage before he blew. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks. His SOUL fluttered close and whispered “GOOD LUCK, DARLING~” before it crumbled.

Frisk called for her, wanting to keep moving. She followed quietly.

* * *

 

Up ahead was an empty hallway, an elevator. They rode in silence. It was always silent. Tallon didn’t know how much more of this she could take.

When the doors opened, everything was grey. Tallon was tempted to sing a song she knew, but didn’t think Frisk would take to it very well. Everything seemed so familiar, the stone walls reminding her of the Ruins, the distant houses in the same shapes as the city below Toriel’s home.

_ Tori… _

“Keep up.” 

She did.

* * *

 

They found a house up ahead that was a perfect copy of Toriel’s. There was a pile of leaves in the path, but no tree for them to have fallen from. There were piles along the house as well. Tallon checked on their things in the dimensional box before joining Frisk in the house.

It made her tremble at the familiarity of it, the emptiness of it. It was devoid of the life that Tori’s home had, the bright colors and the warm smells. 

It was just so quiet.

Frisk wandered towards the kitchen. Tallon tried not to cry when she heard them talking to themselves, their voice so much darker than she remembered, “Where are the knives?!”

Tallon went to the other side of the house. The room at the end of the hall is a mirror image of Toriel’s. There’s a trophy for “Number 1 Nose-Nuzzle Champs ‘98!” Tallon smiles. If they’d been so happy before, Toriel and Asgore, then what could have happened to seperate them? She heard voices in the hall. Frisk must have found some monster wandering around.

Frisk was alone in the hall when she stepped out of the room, a knife in one hand, two keys in the other. “There’s a locket in the other bedroom if you want it. I have no use for it right now.”

She watched them mess with the locks before descending down the stairs. She looked in the other bedroom. Two twin beds, just like the room they stayed in at Toriel’s. There were two boxes, one turned on it’s side, the other with it’s lid half off. Tallon looked in to see a golden locket nestled in red tissue paper. When she clasped it around her neck it felt...heavy. Heavier than it had when she held it, as though there was the weight of another SOUL inside, and it was now leaning against her for support. 

She made her way to the stairs.

* * *

 

Tallon could see Frisk ahead, Flowey popping up beside them as they walked, talking about...something. She couldn’t hear most of it, but caught something about them resetting the world over and over again, like you would a game. He had reset the world countless times until he learned everything he could about everything there was. Then Frisk came along and through determination, stole his power to reset. 

Tallon tried to keep up with them, to listen closely because she knew it was important, that this was probably the something she needed to learn about in order to save everyone, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hear everything Flowey was saying. 

He seemed to be praising Frisk, comparing their actions, until suddenly he froze, shivering in fear. Frisk stepped closer and Flowey moved back, “Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this…”

_ We? _

Flowey looked scared and cried, “Quit making such a scary face!” before disappearing for good.

* * *

 

Frisk led her into a long hallway, sunlight streaming through tall windows. The light glittered across the tile floor, illuminating the golden walls, the gleaming pillars. Frisk marched forward, the knife flashing as a stray beam hit the blade.

Tallon was afraid.

She looked at the windows. That same symbol that was on Gerson’s wall adorned the glass. She could see out across the kingdom, the sun entering through holes in the cave walls. They were close to the surface world, Tallon could tell. When she turned to tell Frisk about it she froze. There, several feet in front of them, was- “Sans…?”

“heya. you’ve been busy, huh?” Sans waited, but Frisk stayed silent. He turned to Tallon, his smile wide. “so, i’ve got a question for ya. do you think even the worst person can change…? that everybody can be a good person, if they just try?”

“Yes,” she answered, her voice strong. His face softened for a moment before he laughed, his eyes closing. 

“alright. Well, here’s a better question. this time for you, kiddo.” Frisk smiled, waited. When Sans opened his eyes they were pitch black, “do you wanna have a bad time?”His voice was hollow, a pulse of power filled the room, “‘cause if you take another step forward...you are REALLY not going to like what happens next.”

Frisk giggled, a high-pitched, maniacal laugh that Tallon hadn’t heard before. She pressed back against the wall, trembling. They made a big show of stepping forward, the knife gripped tight in their hand.

“welp. sorry, lady. this is why i never make promises.” His eye flashed blue and Frisk’s SOUL was yanked into battle, Frisk falling forward with the force of the pull. Sans was looking out the window, “it’s a beautiful day outside. birds are singing, flowers are blooming...on days like these, kids like you…” he teleported close to Frisk, lifting them off the ground with blue magic so he could look them in the eyes, “Should be burning in Hell.”

Tallon flinched at the force Sans attacked with. It was a constant stream of bones moving, being thrown from different directions, surrounding their SOUL and closing in. Two skulls appeared and shot a beam of light at Frisk, and their heart shattered. Frisk was thrown back to the other end of the hall. 

“Frisk!”

Sans teleported to her side, stopping her. “take it easy, it’ll take more than one knock down for the kid to die.” He sounded bitter, but then looked her over, “Did you get hurt?”

She shook her head, “I thought you were the lazy one…”

“i may not be able to take a hit, but i’m stronger when it comes to attack. i’m weak but i’m smart.”

Tallon nodded, “So they’ll get up and try again soon?”

He held out his hands, “it’ll be a minute before they wake up enough to reset, so you’ve got time to get out of here.”

“Reset?”

Sans looked over at Frisk before explaining, “the kiddo picked up some sorta power when they fell down. i’d guess it explains why they’re sometimes good, sometimes bad, and more often than not they’ll fall somewhere in the middle.”

“You’re saying they’ve fallen down before?”

“more like they fell down once and have been resetting their timeline to relive everything again and again. you’re something new though, so i dunno your part in all this.”

She frowned, “I-”

A wall of bones surrounded them. Tallon looked over to see Sans’ eye glowing again as he looked over his shoulder, “now where are your manners, can’t you see the adults are talkin’?”

Frisk giggled and picked up the knife where it had fallen on the floor. “C’mon, Sans. Let’s play~”

Sans teleported across the room, leaving the walls around Tallon for protection. Frisk ran at him, dodging some of the bones thrown their way before getting hit with the beam of light again. They staggered, obviously hurt by the attack. Sans had to throw another volley of bones before they fell.

“Sans, are you alright?” Tallon leaned against the bones between them, trying to check him for wounds. 

“i’m not kiddin’ when i say i won’t last one hit. when it happens, you’ll know.” He chuckled, but looked sad. He lowered the walls around her and formed one to lean against. “you were saying?”

She took a moment to remember, “I...I don’t know what I’m doing here either. I just went on a hike one day and found this mountain. I made a mark on my map and researched it a bit, went back to climb it. There was…” Tallon sighed in frustration, her memories fuzzy, “there was someone at the top, looking down this hole in the ground. I tried to talk to them but when I got closer they fell. When I tried to catch them I guess I fell too, but when I woke up I was alone.”

“seen them walkin’ around afterwards?”

“I haven’t seen anyone after that, thanks to Frisk…”

“And I’d love to keep it that way, if that smiling trash bag would stay still!” Frisk yelled, lunging forward.

Sans dodged, pushing Tallon back against the wall with blue magic. He waved his hand, a few of the skulls appeared and circled around Frisk. “knock knock.”

Frisk tilted their head, confused. “Who's there?”

A bone shot at them from behind while they were distracted, the broken end stabbing through their small frame. Tallon’s hand slapped over her mouth to stop her scream.

“death.”

Tallon felt something wet on her cheeks. She flinched when something cold touched her, her eyes meeting Sans when she turned. “They’re…”

“it’ll take more than that to stop them, i’m afraid.” He wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of his jacket. “they’ll probably keep getting up ‘til they kill me.”

Tallon’s eyes went wide and her body began to tremble. “No! No, I’m tired of watching friends die!”

He chuckled, “sorry, tallon, but it’s gonna happen, no bones about it. i wasn’t there in time to save papyrus but i will make sure to save you. So…” He reached out a hand, his eye flashing blue. The wall behind her felt like it was liquefying. 

“Wait!”

Sans tilted his head, his eyes glancing towards Frisk’s limp form before coming back to her.

Tallon took a deep breath and leaned forward, kissing his forehead. “Thank you, Sans. I’ll...I’ll try to fix all of this.”

He was silent, his eyes wide. “well,” he chuckled, his smile soft, “how ‘bout that.” 

He pushed her into the portal.

* * *

 

Tallon landed on her butt in the snow. She knew she had to get back to the castle as quickly as she could to try and stop Frisk from destroying everything. She brushed off the snow and tossed her bag to the side. She didn’t think she’d need it anyway. The locket rested under her shirt, warm and comforting. She wiggled off most of the defense items as well, knowing they’d get in her way while she ran. 

There was a crunching noise behind her. She spun around to see Grillby hovering outside the bar’s door. “Grillby, why are you still here?”

The fire monster sighed, “I’m waiting for Sans. He’s usually in after this time, and I want to make sure he gets out safe…”

Tallon made a note to talk to Grillby more, his voice was like the crackle of a fireplace. She nodded, “Alright.”

As she turned to walk away he whispered, “Try to save him. If not this round, then maybe in the next.”

She wondered if Grillby was Sans confidant, if he explained the concepts of resets over and over so that he could talk to Grillby about the problems within the current one, or if he figures that in routes like these when everything gets destroyed he’s got nothing to lose. 

There was only one thing she could do right now.

Run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! I finished another chapter! Huzzah!  
> It's been a while, Tallon. Welcome back to the fun timeline!  
> Anyway, I don't remember your fall being like that, Tallon. Weren't you suicidal and alone? Hmm...I wonder which of us has it wrong...  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below~  
> JM


	26. The River Person

_ I know they’re somewhere around here…Sans pointed them out once during the...the other... _ Tallon couldn’t think straight. 

“Tra la la~” she heard as she came around the corner, “Oh! Hello there, I am the riverman. Or am I the riverwoman…?” The cloaked monster shook its head and waved towards the water. “It doesn’t really matter. I love to ride in my boat, would you care to join me?”

Tallon nodded and stepped onto the boat. “Please, can you take me to New Home?”

“I’m afraid not, but I can get you to the Hotlands if that’s alright?”

“That’s fine, thank you.”

The boat lifted on four legs and began to run across the water. Tallon rested her back against the wood and listened to the River Person’s humming. “Tra la la~ beware the man who speaks in hands~”

Tallon felt a chill down her spine. “The man who speaks in hands?”

The River Person continued humming, ignoring her. The gentle rocking of the boat almost lulled her to sleep when the monster spoke again, “You’d be surprised at how many secrets this place has, then again...maybe you won’t be surprised for much longer. The man who speaks in hands is one of these secrets, one of the biggest ones, if we’re honest. He’s outside of everything, and inside of everything. Actually...for you, he may be a blessing. Be weary of him then, rather than distrustful.”

“What?”

“When my day is done, I try to visit Waterfall. So many hidden rooms to find…” The boat came to a stop, and Tallon could feel the heat surrounding her. “We’re here~ come visit again when you need a ride.”

Tallon stepped off the boat and turned back to the River Person. “Thank you.”

“Good luck, my dear.”

She turned to the sweltering heat of the Hotlands and ran.

* * *

 

It was hard to breathe there, but she pushed through the pain and focused on keeping her feet under her. She squealed when she was suddenly launched into the air. She had been to focused on her lungs to notice the vents. She laughed at herself, and focused on the puzzles to make sure she didn’t get lost. Tallon thought of her talk with Sans.  _ Was that how I got here? I thought I was trying to... _

She hit the ground running again, running from that thought, from false memories, from the troubles. Towards a killer, towards a dark end to such a dark tale, towards a friend who needed her.

Tallon pushed on, the locket warm against her chest.

_ When...when is the other timeline? Timeline...was I in another timeline? _ Her memories were fuzzy, something preventing her from thinking of...before? After? There was no voice here to guide her but her own, and she couldn’t even trust that. She pushed her thoughts aside and focused: she had somewhere to be.

* * *

 

She wheezed as the elevator doors closed.  _ It’s good I left everything in Snowdin, I don’t think I could have ran that much with all that weight… _

As the doors opened she shook out her legs and started running again. She remembered her way through the Core, so she was able to find the door faster than earlier. The eerie similarities of New Home and the Ruins set her nerves on edge but Tallon pressed on. When she got to the little house she made for the stairs. She was grateful for the railing, taking a chance to breathe as she slid down. 

_ They’ll be straight ahead… _

She took a minute to breathe and sprinted onward.  _ What do I plan to do when I get there? It’s not like I can stop the kid… _

The doorway to Judgment Hall loomed off to her right. She threw herself in and cried, “Sans!”

His chin touched to his chest and then he straightened, just in time to dodge Frisk’s knife. He was sweating, his shoulders heaving with every breath. Several skulls surrounded the child and Sans teleported to Tallon. “what is wrong with you? did you seriously run here?”

She was bent over, inhaling deeply, “yes. I-” another breath, “want to help!”

“you’ll just get in the way, go back.”

The knife came flying towards them. Tallon gave a shout of warning just as a stray bone knocked it back. “Please just...run with me.”

Sans looked angry, “and do what? lay in hiding until the kid hunts us down and turns me to dust? who knows what they’ll do to you if you defy them directly. probably kill you too, huh?” 

She hadn’t thought that far. “Well…”

Frisk had inched closer, the blasters moving with them until they could get to the knife again. They threw it again, Sans didn’t noticing until it was too late that it wasn’t aimed for him.

Tallon held her arms in front of her face, but the blade never struck. When she looked, Sans was in front of her, his arms outstretched. Red began to soak through his white shirt, his blue coat. “well. how about...that…” He coughed, a trickle of the red substance trailed down his chin. 

She caught him as he fell back, her eyes wide, her cheeks wet. “Sans!” The wound was already beginning to dust.

Frisk was giggling at the other end of the room, the blasters still around them.

“tallon, i guess i was able to save you in the end. heh…” he motioned towards his neck, “there’s a key on a chain, take it. if you make it out of this timeline i think you’ll need it…”

Tallon nodded, shifting him a bit to unclasp the chain around his neck. “I’m sorry, Sans…”

“‘s alright...i get to see papyrus, right?” his body began to dissolve in her arms, “heh...maybe i can take him to grillbys…”

As she cried, a small, white heart floated from his chest and he was gone. It let out a gentle laugh as it, too, dissolved.

“Ah well, I always knew he wouldn’t last. Thanks to you, I was able to get him! Good job! Hehehe~” Frisk skipped over, their smile too big for their face. 

Tallon was scared. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. I just need something you have…” They reached towards the locket.

It began to get warm again, too hot for her skin. She flinched away from the heat, from the murderous child in front of her, from the lingering feeling that something was wrong. 

When Frisk’s fingers brushed the locket there was a bright light, a searing pain, and then everything was dark, dark, darker still…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but important chapter, have fun reading it? We'll be back with the happy-fun timeline shortly, but we all know this one must end in death mwahahaha~  
> I'll post the next chapter as soon as I'm finished, until next time: Have any questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below and I'll see what I can do!  
> -JM


	27. Legs

“-lon...Tallon...Tallon!” there was a familiar voice beside her. Was it familiar? Was it beside her? She couldn’t remember up from down, couldn’t remember life from death, her own thoughts and feelings felt out of place.

_Enough Of That. Time To Wake Up._

She opened her eyes. Two figures stood above her: to her right was Frisk, their hair messy from sleep, their face open and vulnerable; to her left was Sans, holding out her bag.

“thought you might want to check this.”

She shook her head, slowly sitting up. She couldn’t look away from him. Tallon could feel that she’d been crying, her eyes were puffy, her cheeks wet, and she knew he was somehow the reason. “You’re here...” The tears threatened to fall again. She wasn't sure if the statement meant 'here in the hotel' or 'here in the timeline'. He seemed to understand.

Sans put on a false smile and looked over to Frisk, “hey, kiddo, now that she’s up why don’t you go get some breakfast? tell ‘em sans sent ya.” Frisk perked up at the mention of food and skipped out the door. Now that they were alone, Sans set the bag down and waved towards the bed, “mind if i sit?”

Tallon crossed her legs to make room, with the whole expanse of the bed at his disposal, she wanted to make sure he sat close by. When he was done fidgeting, the bed a little tall for him to get on with ease, she reached out with shaky fingers and touched his chest. There was no red there, only white and blue, and she could finally breathe.

“i suspected something was up when i first saw you. the kid’s never had a _human_ companion before.” Sans began, something jingled in his pocket. “i ignored it ‘cause you seemed pretty normal, wrote it off as paranoia, but then there was that day you were in waterfall alone. frisk had a bad feeling, said i should stick with ‘em ‘til they found you. good thing i did cause you would’ve had to wake up on the cold floor alone with them if i hadn’t.” He gave her a look, both fond and annoyed, “you mentioned seein’ a door, and i know waterfall. there isn’t one. but while you were out walkin’, frisk mentioned you’re always seein’ things that arent there. so…” Sans pulled out her key-ring from his jacket. “when the kid called for me to come by this mornin’ i went through the bag, hope you don’t mind.”

“Those are my keys…” There was one for her house, a separate one for their garage, the backup to the car and a key to the local gym. She was allowed in early to set up the rock wall and climb freehand until someone showed up and wanted to give it a try, then she was the belayer until her break.

“figured. but this one, “he held up the fifth key, the one she didn’t remember having, “this one’s mine. i was wonderin’ where it went. luckily i have a spare in my sock drawer but...i knew the kid hadn’t ended up with it. so how did you?”

Tallon stared at the key, a flash of Sans fading away in her arms came to mind. “Sans…”

“you’ve been through another timeline, haven’t you?”

She nodded, her throat closing up at the scene unfolding in her mind. Sans covered in red, his edges dissolving and she was the reason why. “You gave it to me.”

He chuckled sadly, “yeah, guess i’d do that if i knew you’d come back through, or hoped it at least.”

“Sans...something's wrong with my memories…”

“yeah, timeline shenanigans will do that. what’s messin’ you up?”

“We...we were talking and I was explaining how I fell...it was nothing like how i remember…” She tried to think about before, the journal, the climbing...it was foggy, just like before when she talked about the person.

Sans dropped the keys into the open bag below and shrugged, “there’s not much i can do for false memories, but if you keep goin’ the way you’re goin’?” His smile was wide, genuine, “you’re gonna have a good time here. the kid’s been good this round, and i have a feeling it’s your fault. keep up whatever it is you’re doin’ in that other timeline.”

“Why do you remember them?”

He paused, looking at the door, “i don’t exactly remember the other timelines, but i know they exist. and it doesn’t take a genius to figure that sometimes they’d try to kill everyone instead of befriend them. besides, if you ever use that key you might find some stuff out that explains my role in all this.”

She laughed, “did you just give me permission to go through your things?”

“turnabout's fair play or whatever.”

Frisk knocked on the door before opening it, “I brought food!”

Sans stayed while they ate, making jokes anytime Frisk went to drink something to see if he could make them snort it out their nose. Tallon smiled at the ease she could see in him, especially after seeing him-

_You’ve Never Dwelt On A Death In The Other Timeline Before, Is There Something Special About Sans’ That Makes You Continue To Think About It?_

_It was my fault. I got in the way and he saved me._

_You Saved Him First._

The image of Sans’ chin bumping his chest came to mind. _Had he been...falling asleep?_

_Yes._

Tallon shuddered, waving away the other’s concerned glances. When they were all finished she asked Frisk to go ask where Mettaton would be, wanting one last moment with Sans before they moved on.

“Ah~ we get to see Mettaton perform, I’m so excited!” Frisk cried, rushing out of the room.

“Do they not realize Mettaton’s trying to kill them?”

“course they do. they’re ignoring that fact so they don’t get scared.” She gave him a confused look, “i asked them about it while we were at dinner last night.”

She nodded. Tallon knew they wouldn’t have much longer before Frisk found out where the robot’s stage was. She took a deep breath, and turned to Sans. He gave her an odd look, one that was both fond and confused, and she smiled. “Thank you,” she said.

“for what?”

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tucked her head into his neck, “for keeping me calm just now, and for helping before with the Waterfall thing.”

He nodded, his body stiff. “snow problem, just happened to be in the neighborhood…”

“That’s a lie and you know it.” she tightened her grip for a moment, taking a deep breath of _Sans,_ before mumbling, “knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Hug.”

“hug who?”

“Hug me back.”

Sans let out a startled laugh, the sound pleasing to Tallon’s ear after before, with his SOUL letting out such a pitiful, sad chuckle. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her, making sure not to squeeze her into his ribs. They stood there for a moment, finding comfort in the other, until there was a click at the door.

Tallon sighed as she pulled back, “I’m gonna kill them one day, if they keep sneaking pictures of me.”

Sans laughed again and they smiled at each other. “i’ll see ya around, kid.”

“Still not a kid!”

He ruffled Frisk’s hair as he passed them. Tallon held out her hand. Frisk, not even a little ashamed at their actions, handed the picture over with a grin.

They looked cute, curled around each other. Tallon had to bend to reach is shoulders, but it had been comfortable to lean on him for support. She tucked the photo in her bag with the rest of them and threw it onto her shoulders. “Find Mettaton?”

“Yeah!” Frisk waited for her to fix the straps and lead her through the hotel.

* * *

 

Tallon waved at the doors, “Hey kid, let’s go check out Bratty and Catty’s store before heading on. They’ve got a cool hat I wanted to buy for you.”

At the prospect of getting more ridiculous clothes, Frisk ran outside. She spotted them darting down the alley and laughed. “Frisk, hold up! I have the money!” She jogged after them, a phantom pain in her legs stopping her from running. _Guess my body remembers the burn from the last timeline._

_As You Remember It, Your Body Does As Well. That’s Why You Always Wake Up Fearful Of Frisk, Even With The Knowledge That This One Would Never Hurt A Fly._

Tallon nodded and waved at the two monsters sitting in the alley. “Hey girls, told you I’d be back with money and-” she reached in her bag and pulled out two Glamburgers, “food!”

They cheered, munching on the glitter covered whatever it is that Mettaton is selling. “Yew wnted smmm stff rght?” Catty said, her mouth full.

Tallon nodded, “Yeah I’ll take everything you’ve got actually.” She laughed as two sets of eyes widened, and held out a smaller pouch full of coins. “I’ve got the money, might as well spend it, right?” They wave at the table in front of them while they count the money.

“Not that we don’t, like, trust you or anything!” Bratty said.

“Yeah, we’re just, like, SURPRISED. We’ve never had so much money before!” Catty continued.

Frisk smiled as they put on the hat and helped Tallon fit the Empty Gun and Junk Food into her bag. “How was the date?” They asked, their eyebrows hopping up and down.

The girls looked at each other and laughed, “Burgerpants was adorable, trying to be all tough,” Bratty started.

“But he ended up just making us laugh again with how silly he was being!” Catty finished.

They laughed again and wrapped their arms around each other, “Besides,” Bratty said, “We have each other. Don’t really want to date anyone when I’ve got someone like Catty with me forever!”

“Gurl!!!!” Catty said, her cheeks red, “I was gonna, like, say the same about you!” They nuzzled each other and Tallon put a hand on Frisk’s fallen shoulders.

“We’ll leave you two be, then. See you when we see you!” The girls waved as they exited the alleyway.

* * *

 

“Can I check on Burgerpants? I’m sure he’s really sad about the date,” Frisk asked, tugging on Tallon’s hand.

She remembered wanting to talk to him anyway, and nodded. She let Frisk pull her along into the store and tried not to laugh at what they found. Burgerpants had his head down on the counter, a cloud of smoke seemed to fill the area around him without disturbing the rest of the room. He was smoking still, a small pile of finished buds beside him.

“Excuse me?” She called, pulling him out of his personal pity party.

He slowly sat up, eyeing Frisk. “Well, hey there little buddy-” Tallon thought about the other vendor who used that term, a certain cheerful bunny. “-how’s life goin’?”

“Heard your date didn’t go very well,” they said, their voice sympathetic.

BP let out a low grunt, “That’s life, isn’t it? You try and impress two beautiful girls and they just laugh at you. Oh well, there are other monsters in the underground, right?”

Frisk shrugged and looked to Tallon, unsure of what to do.  

She thought of Nice Cream guy, and smiled.

_You Really Shouldn’t-_

“Should we get some Nice Cream to cheer you up?”

_-Meddle._

Frisk seemed to catch on, “or we could just get Nice Cream guy to come by! He’s really happy all the time, so maybe he could help you out?”

BP shook his head, “NOT that Nice Cream guy! He keeps coming in here and asking me stuff like, ‘Hey Burgy, what do you think of this joke for my next ice cream wrapper?’ Joke? Why are you calling it a JOKE? You drew a picture of two dudes hugging and wrote ‘I love hugs!’ on it. You somehow understand comedy EVEN LESS than that guy who keeps going on stage and crying about his family.”

Tallon frowned, “You actually talk to him like that?”

“Well, I, uh…” BP coughs and puts out the bud he was holing, trying to hide the red of his cheeks. “No. I just tell him that they’re good, because he gives me the nice cream for free afterward…”

“Mhm…” Tallon smiled, slow and wide, making sure to catch BP’s eyes before saying, “sounds like he personalized the message just for you.”

Frisk giggled, making a hugging motion.

Burgerpants looked between them, his eyes wide, his mouth open. His face was a bright red. “I, uh…” He looked at the clock and then at the door. “Um…”

“Have somewhere to be?” Tallon asked.

He seemed conflicted.

“We can keep Mettaton busy for a bit so you can...take a break,” Frisk offered.

He continued to look between them, his eyes suspicious, but after another glance at the clock he slid across the counter and walked towards the front door.

“We did good, kid,” Tallon said, ruffling their hair, “now let’s go find Mettaton before he can notice his employee is missing.”

* * *

 

There was a wind that whistled and bellowed in the distance. Tallon felt no draft, but moved their things around in her bag in order to put their jackets near the top. Ahead of them were two figures, moving silently towards the other door.

The phone rang. Tallon put it on speaker. “Huh? Who are they?” _Oh good, a shadow figure that others can see. Finally,_ Tallon thought. “N-nobody else is s-supposed to be here...”

She looked down at Frisk but they don’t seem concerned by the news.

Alphys continues, “Oh well! We can’t worry about that now!” _Click!_

Tallon pocketed the phone and took Frisk’s hand. “Let’s get moving then!”

They crossed the bridge to the Core. The hum was almost soothing, but the echos of their footsteps made Tallon nervous. There was no one on the other side of the door, just a few hallways and an elevator she was sure wouldn’t work.

Alphys called again to see if they were ready. Frisk gave a cheer and Tallon laughed at their enthusiasm, remembering Sans words. “Take the elevator to the top floor!” she suggests, and hangs up.

Tallon looked at Frisk and waves at the elevator. “Gonna follow orders little bud, or…”

But Frisk was already walking towards the right hallway. There was a small platform and beyond that fire. Alphys called again, confused because this isn’t a good path and don’t they want to just take the elevator?

Frisk pressed the button to go up and nothing happened. Alphys gave up on it for now and Frisk all but ran to the left when she suggested it.

The two figures from before came forward. Frisk was pulled into a battle with a Madjick. Tallon stood near the doorway, trying to stay out of the way. Alphys was chattering nervously as Frisk SPAREd the monster. Tallon almost felt bad for her.

_Only Almost?_

_If my assumption is correct, half of our problems are her fault._

_Then Why Feel Bad At All_

_Because she’s trying to be a hero and her plans are suddenly falling apart._

Alphys guessed wrong on the lasers but they had plenty of time to figure it out before they took any damage. She suggested the wrong corridor, forcing Frisk into another fight with a Knight Knight. While Frisk sings it Shyren’s song, Tallon can hear Alphys begin to panic. Her stutter becomes worse, her breath comes in small gasps.

Tallon has never been good at comforting those who panic, so she stays silent until Frisk is done. She hands the phone over. Frisk gives the monster some encouraging words as they walk.

When Alphys comes up with the plan to continuously turn off the power so they can cross a row of blue lasers, Tallon gets fed up with the game and suggests Frisk simply roll underneath them and Tallon would take her time crossing, as she can’t roll with her bag. Frisk takes off, giggling as they roll along the floor. Anytime the lasers turned back on they were not touched. Tallon would run until the lights began to flicker and dropped down so that her left knee and right hand touched the floor. It helped her keep balance while the blue lasers touched her. Again and again she ran and dropped until she was across.

Alphys was beside herself with worry now. Still, she tried to sound confident for the humans. That is, until the corridors looked nothing like her map. “Alphys wa-” Frisk tried to say, but the monster hung up, defeated, before they could give her the proper encouragement.

Tallon placed a hand on their shoulder. “It’s alright, kiddo. Let’s just explore by ourselves, yeah?”

Frisk liked the idea of exploring but held up a finger. They made a quick status on the UnderNet site about Alphys being the biggest help in getting them through Hotland and the Core. They handed the phone back to Tallon, pleased with themself.

To the left there was giant ice blocks falling from a belt into the Core. Frisk jumped up and down, pointing and shouting, “Ice Wolf, Ice Wolf!” Until Tallon reminded them of their goal to find Mettatton.

Together they found puzzles that must have served a purpose so they finished them. Tallon found a glamburger in the trash and Frisk wanted to keep it. They also found money, which she gladly put into their pouch.

There was another elevator that didn’t work, and a hallway.

“OH YES. THERE YOU ARE, DARLINGS,” a metallic voice echoed around them. They found Mettaton. “IT’S TIME TO HAVE OUR LITTLE SHOWDOWN. IT’S TIME TO FINALLY STOP THE ‘MALFUNCTIONING’ ROBOT.” He paused, tilting his box frame. “NOT!!! MALFUNCTION? REPROGRAMMING? GET REAL. THIS WAS ALL JUST A BIG SHOW. AN ACT. ALPHYS HAS BEEN PLAYING YOU FOR  A FOOL THE WHOLE TIME.”

_Called it._

_Yes, Do You Feel Proud Of Yourself?_

Tallon looked to Frisk, saw the hurt on their face, and shook her head.

“AS SHE WATCHED YOU ON THE SCREEN, SHE GREW ATTACHED TO YOUR ADVENTURE. SHE DESPERATELY WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT. SO SHE DECIDED TO INSERT HERSELF INTO YOUR STORY.”

_Sounds Familiar._

_What’s that supposed to mean?_

“SHE REACTIVATED PUZZLES. SHE DISABLED ELEVATORS. SHE ENLISTED ME TO TORMENT YOU. ALL SO SHE COULD SAVE YOU FROM DANGERS THAT DIDN’T EXIST. ALL SO YOU WOULD THINK SHE’S THE GREAT PERSON...THAT SHE’S NOT.”

“Liar!” Frisk cried out. “I don’t care if all the danger wasn’t real, Alphys is still a good person!”

Mettaton chuckled, “YES WELL, NOW IT’S TIME FOR HER FINEST HOUR. AT THIS VERY MOMENT, ALPHYS IS WAITING OUTSIDE THE ROOM. DURING OUR ‘BATTLE,’ SHE WILL INTERRUPT. SHE WILL PRETEND TO ‘DEACTIVATE’ ME, ‘SAVING’ YOU ONE FINAL TIME.FINALLY. SHE’LL BE THE HEROINE OF YOUR ADVENTURE. YOU’LL REGARD HER SO HIGHLY SHE’LL EVEN BE ABLE TO CONVINCE YOU NOT TO LEAVE...”

_It’s a good plan, but now that Mettaton isn’t playing along…_

_Yes, Well. Keep On Your Toes._

“OR NOT. YOU SEE, I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS PREDICTABLE CHARADE. I HAVE NO DESIRE TO HARM HUMANS. FAR FROM IT, ACTUALLY. MY ONLY DESIRE IS TO ENTERTAIN. AFTER ALL, THE AUDIENCE DESERVES A GOOD SHOW, DON’T THEY? AND WHAT’S A GOOD SHOW...WITHOUT A PLOT TWIST?”

There is a distant click, a shout of “H-hey!!! Wh-wh-what’s going on!?”

The lights came on, Mettaton held up a microphone. The show was about to begin. “SORRY, FOLKS! THE OLD PROGRAM’S BEEN CANCELLED!!”

_I don’t guess that means he’ll just let us go?_

_Your Wishful Thinking Is Always Amusing._

“BUT WE’VE GOT A FINALE THAT WILL DRIVE YOU WILD!”

The ground shook, then lifted, then shot into the air. Tallon held Frisk close and kept them away from the edges.

Mettaton continued the introduction. “REAL DRAMA!! REAL ACTION!! REAL BLOODSHED!! ON OUR NEW SHOW…’ATTACK OF THE KILLER ROBOT!’”

Frisk’s SOUL was pulled into battle. Tallon handed them the phone and let them go, standing off to the side. She was unable to do anything for them once their SOUL was out of their body. It was all on them now.

Mettaton admitted to changing the Core around so that Alphys would be confused, and for sending all those monsters to fight them. Frisk ignored him, pressing the yellow button a few times. Mettaton laughed and took no damage.

“DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT ACTING IS!?”

Frisk tried to spare him, and he laughed again. Frisk dodged the robot’s attack and tried to spare him again.

“LISTEN, DARLING. I’VE SEEN YOU FIGHT. YOU’RE WEAK. IF YOU CONTINUE FORWARD, ASGORE WILL TAKE YOUR SOUL. AND WITH YOUR SOUL, ASGORE WILL DESTROY HUMANITY. BUT IF _I_ GET YOUR SOUL, I CAN STOP ASGORE’S PLAN! I CAN SAVE HUMANITY FROM DESTRUCTION! THEN, USING YOUR SOUL, I’LL CROSS THROUGH THE BARRIER...AND BECOME THE STAR I’VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF BEING!”

Frisk rolled across the ground to dodge the attack, “But you’re already a star, Mettaton! Everyone loves you!”

“THERE ARE MORE HUMANS THAN THERE WILL EVER BE MONSTERS, CHILD. WHY SETTLE FOR A FEW HUNDRED WHEN I CAN HAVE THOUSANDS, NO MILLIONS OF FANS ALL AROUND THE WORLD! GLITZ! GLAMOUR! I’LL FINALLY HAVE IT ALL!”

The phone in Frisk’s hand began to ring. They hid behind Tallon and answered, “Alphys?”

“U..uh...I can’t see what’s going on in there, but...d-d-don’t give up, okay!? Th...there’s o-one l-l-last way to beat Mettaton...It’s...um...this is a work in progress, so don’t judge it too hard...but, you know how Mettaton always faces f-f-forward?”

Frisk glanced at the robot, now rotated to face the two humans, waiting patiently for them to get off the phone. “Yeah.”

“That’s because there’s a switch on his backside. S-s-so if y-y-you c-c-can turn him around...um...and, umm...press th-th-th-the switch...He’ll be...um...he’ll be...vulnerable.” The clear sorrow in her tone made Tallon worry. She remembered the other timeline, how he’d fallen apart in moments after transforming. Was Mettaton always going to die?

_Do Not Become Clouded By Another Time, Another Place._

_You’re right, just...worried._

“Well, I g-g-gotta go!” _Click._

Frisk looked up at Tallon with a worried expression. “How do we get him to turn around?”

She looked at the robot, who was now pretending to check his watch. She had an idea, had a feeling it would work, but it was so ridiculous she hoped it didn’t. “Hey, Mettaton!” The robot stood straighter and a question mark appeared on his screen. “There’s a mirror behind you.”

“OH??? A MIRROR??? RIGHT, I HAVE TO LOOK PERFECT FOR OUR GRAND FINALE!” He spun around and a large label read “SWITCH” on his back, with an arrow pointing down. Frisk ran across the stage and flipped it before jumping back into Tallon’s arms.

Mettaton paused in his search for the nonexistent mirror. “DID YOU. JUST FLIP. MY SWITCH?” He began swaying. When he managed to turn around, his buttons were flashing, spinning, his screen was going crazy. He tried his best to hold himself steady but he continued to sway viciously. There was a blinding white light.

Tallon coughed as smoke surrounded them. She held Frisk close but knew it would do little if Mettaton attacked before the smoke cleared. Their SOUL glowed faintly nearby, almost dancing in the twirling fog around it.

There was a metalic, “OOOOOO YES,” from somewhere in front of them and the light began to die down. The stage had stopped moving while Mettaton was twitching, and around them was a fully equipped studio. There was a small group of monsters running around, getting everything ready to start filming.

“Lights!” one called, and two spotlights slowly fell into place. They revealed a figure standing in the smoke, someone tall, with pointed shoulders. Tallon was relieved to see a few less edges. It must not be Mettaton Neo. _Maybe he’ll survive this route_. “Cameras ready? Action!” the voice called again. Somewhere in the distance, Tallon could hear Mettaton’s theme song playing.

Music began to fill the room. It was slow, almost seductive, as the smoke began to clear. “Ohhhh my.” Mettaton’s voice was smoother, but still robotic. “If you flipped my switch, that can only mean one thing. You’re desperate for the premiere of my new body. How rude...Lucky for you, I’ve been aching to show this off for a long time. So...as thanks, I’ll give you a _handsome_ reward. I’ll make your last living moments...” The smoke finally cleared, and the humans finally saw the new body, “ABSOLUTELY beautiful!”

Frisk stepped forward onto the stage as their SOUL got pulled into a proper battle. Mettaton EX makes his premiere. Tallon can see the screen behind him, keeping count of the ratings, and stepped down from the stage. The crew let her sit by one of the cameras so long as she didn’t cause a fuss.

Mettaton’s SOUL was more upbeat now as he jumped from pose to pose for the camera, showing off his new body. Frisk clapped before striking a pose of their own. Mettaton seemed pleased. They danced around the stage together, both avoiding the others attacks and stopping to pose when they had time. The ratings slowly increased behind them.

Mettaton held up a mic that seemed to appear out of nowhere and said, “Oooh, it’s time for a pop quiz! I hope you’re ready...this one’s an essay question!” A question began to flash on the screen behind them: _What do you love most about Mettaton? Still a narcissist hmm?_

_Personality Does Not Change When You Get A New Body._

Tallon thought of the other timeline, of Frisk. _I hope you’re wrong on that one._ There was silence, a longing that she was right. Tallon didn’t know how to feel about that.

Frisk scribbled quickly on a piece of paper Mettaton handed to them and held it up. In big letters they wrote “LEGS” across the page. Mettaton beamed, “That’s right. Legs was the correct answer!” There was a boost in ratings from the answer. “Your essay really showed everyone your heart. Why don’t I show you mine?” A bright pink SOUL exited his body. Tallon was confused, _aren’t monster SOULs white? And upside down?_

_Boss Monsters Are…Special, For Lack Of A Better Term. During Battle, Their SOUL Will Reflect Their Power, Their Main Trait._

_So it’s not just a human thing?_

_Humans Keep The Color Forever, Only Certain Monsters Can Gain a Color, And Only When They’re Desperate, When Their Lives Are On The Line._

Tallon watched the stage. They moved faster now, but she could see Frisk was getting tired. She waved at a nearby monster to get their attention. They had requested that she inform them if she planned to move, so they could keep her out of the shots. She followed the monsters directions on how to get close to the stage and threw a bottle of cider to Frisk. They turned in time to catch it and Mettaton waited while they drank. Ratings increased, _Muffet and her spiders must be watching. She must have liked the product placing._ The voice chuckled and Frisk threw the empty bottle back. The dancing continued.

Eventually Mettaton called for a break and let the crew do a few equipment checks. Tallon was allowed on the stage now and she wiped the sweat off Frisk’s face. “Doin’ good kid.”

“It’s a lot of fun!” They smiled and drank some water that Tallon found in her bag. Mettaton called the crew back to their places and let Tallon get off the stage before the cameras began rolling again. He revealed his heart again, allowing Frisk to get a few good shots at his SOUL.

Mettaton lost his arms.

Tallon began to worry now.

“A...arms? Wh...who needs arms with legs like these? I’m still going to win!” Mettaton sounded pained, steam puffed from where his arms had been. He continued posing.

His attacks became more complex, moving backwards and forwards around Frisk. They took their time with each move, not letting the pressure get to them. Mettaton was getting frustrated, “Enough of this! Do you really want humanity to perish!?” Another attack. Mettaton studied the child before him, “...or do you just believe in yourself that much?”

Frisk posed at the edge of the stage. There was the sound of cheers. “How inspiring! Well, darling! It’s either me or you! But I think we both already know who’s going to win. Witness the true power of humanity’s star!”

Tallon felt a chill, _Neo?_

His SOUL was revealed again and he kicked at Frisk repeatedly. Frisk dodged him, aiming the phone at the SOUL and shooting. Mettaton collapsed onto the stage, his legs had fallen to the sides. More steam was pumping out of his body and he sounded more robotic when he spoke.

“OOH, LOOK AT THESE RATINGS!!! THIS IS THE MOST VIEWERS I’VE EVER HAD!!! WE’VE REACHED THE VIEWER CALL-IN MILESTONE! ONE LUCKY VIEWER WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO TALK TO ME…BEFORE I LEAVE THE UNDERGROUND FOREVER!!” Tallon could see Mettaton’s frame was shaking. Frisk must have noticed too because they stepped over to the robot and placed a hand on his shoulder plate, helping keep him steady. Tallon is allowed onto the stage for the special event, and to help keep the host steady. “LET’S SEE WHO CALLS IN FIRST!”

The speaker in Mettaton’s chest rings out, “HI, YOU’RE ON TV! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ON THIS, OUR LAST SHOW???”

The monster on the other end hesitates, a small “oh….” whispers out of the speaker. Tallon looks at Frisk, who looks just as surprised as she feels. Mettaton’s eyes are wide, his metal lips are parted. The music around them was soft now, sad. “Hi...mettaton...i really liked watching your show…my life is pretty boring...but…seeing you on the screen...brought excitement to my life vicariously.” Mettaton looked pained again, and Tallon couldn’t decide if it was from the missing limbs for the caller. “I can’t tell, but...i guess this is the last episode..? I’ll miss you...mettaton...” There was a pause, then,, “...oh...I didn’t mean to talk so long...oh…”

“NO, WAIT! WAIT, BL-” There was a click from the speaker. Mettaton slumped, “H...THEY ALREADY HUNG UP...I’LL TAKE ANOTHER CALLER!!!”

“Mettaton, your show made us so happy!”

“Mettaton, I don’t know what I’ll watch without you.”

“Mettaton, there’s a Mettaton-shaped hole in my Mettaton-shaped heart!”

The robot looked surprised. “AH...I...I SEE...EVERYONE...THANK YOU SO MUCH.” He turned, leaning against Tallon so he could face Frisk. “DARLING, PERHAPS...IT MIGHT BE BETTER IF I STAY HERE FOR A WHILE.” Frisk smiled at him, “HUMANS ALREADY HAVE STARS AND IDOLS, BUT MONSTERS...THEY ONLY HAVE ME. IF I LEFT...THE UNDERGROUND WOULD LOSE ITS SPARK. I’D LEAVE AN ACHING VOID THAT CAN NEVER BE FILLED.”

_Aaand the moment is gone. The narcissism is back._

“SO...I THINK I’LL HAVE TO DELAY MY BIG DEBUT. BESIDES, YOU’VE PROVEN TO BE VERY STRONG.” Frisk did another pose, making Mettaton chuckle. “PERHAPS EVEN STRONG ENOUGH TO GET PAST ASGORE. I’M SURE THE TWO OF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PROTECT HUMANITY.” He looked back at Tallon, smiling. “IT’S FOR THE BEST, ANYWAY. THE TRUTH IS, THIS FORM’S ENERGY CONSUMPTION IS...INEFFICIENT. IN A FEW MOMENTS, I’LL RUN OUT OF BATTERY POWER, AND...WELL.” Tallon thought she could hear a door unlocking in the distance. As he spoke, his voice began to glitch,  “I’LL BE ALRIGHT. KNOCK ‘EM DEAD, DARLING. AND EVERYONE...THANK YOU. YOU’VE BEEN A GREAT AUDIENCE!”

The stage lowered back down, putting them back in the Core. The door opened, revealing a sweating Alphys. “I...I managed to open the lock! Are you guys...oh my god.” She rushed to Mettaton, cradlinghis head into her lap and running her hands along his torso. “Mettaton! Mettaton, are you…” She could see the pink heart in his torso glowing faintly and sighed. “...thank GOD, it’s just the batteries. Mettaton, if you were gone, I would have...I would have...” She seemed to realize that the humans were still there, and shook her head, “I m-mean, h-hey, it’s n-no problem, you know? He’s just a robot, if you messed it up, I c-could always...j-just build another…” She smiled, but it was strained and they didn’t buy it. “Why don’t you go on ahead? I just...need a moment.”

Frisk looked like they wanted to say something but thought better of it. They took Tallon’s hand and guided her to the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *insert mushu gif* I LIIIIVE!!!!  
> Finally home from college. Should be able to crank out a few chapters before momocon, and then as many as I can before I'm back on campus. Next semester I only have physical classes on tuesdays and thursdays so it shouldn't take me two months to update even when I'm back at college.   
> Also, small announcement: once this series is done I will be writing a second one, almost a sort of companion piece, where it's shorter, sweeter, more to the point, and more in my natural writing style. It will follow the same general story but IN ORDER. As in, it will answer any questions you may have by the end of this work by explaining step-by-step Tallon's adventure, rather than the back and forth structure that this one follows.   
> Alright, and with that: Questions, Comments, Concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below and I'll get to you as soon as I can!  
> -JM


	28. Dating...start?

“Doin’ alright, kid?”

“Can I have a...something? I’m feeling tired.”

Tallon rummaged in the bag and handed them a nice cream. They smiled as they ate and Tallon leaned against the cool wall, her focus on the door. Alphys joined them a few minutes later. 

“S...sorry about that! L-let’s k-keep going!” They walked on. Alphys trailed behind the humans, twiddling her fingers nervously. “S-so you’re about to meet Asgore, h-huh?”

“Mhm!” Frisk affirmed, giving the monster a smile. 

“You must be…” She paused, searching for a word that wasn’t scared, “Y-you must be...pr...pretty excited about all that, huh?”

“We’ve heard he’s pretty nice actually, so I don’t feel all that worried right now,” Tallon chimed in, noting how tense Frisk was getting as they walked. 

“Y-yeah! You’ll f-f-finally...you’ll finally get to go home!”

Tallon wasn’t sure where home was at this point. The three came to the elevator and paused. Frisk pressed the button. The doors opened instantly.

“W...wait! I mean, um...I...I was just going to...um...say goodbye, and…” Alphys slowly broke down in front of them, her face falling, “I can’t take this anymore.” She turned to walk back to the stage, “I...I lied to you. A human SOUL isn’t strong enough to cross the barrier alone. It takes at least a human soul...and a monster soul…”

_ There’s always a catch, isn’t there? _

Alphys turned to Frisk, “If you want to go home...you’ll have to take his soul. You’ll have to kill Asgore.” She mumbled an apology as she walked away.

Frisk pulled a stunned Tallon into the elevator. The ride was silent, save the hum of the elevator. Tallon thought of another time, another ride. The silence in both timelines was unbearable. 

As they reach the top floor, Frisk lets go of Tallon’s hand. New Home is quite. Tallon hates it. It’s too much like the other place, the other time, where Frisk is-

They find a house. A gentle melody begins playing, something reminiscent of the home they left in the Runes. A chill runs down Tallon’s spine at the sound and she almost felt like crying. Frisk went ahead, leaving the door open for her to follow them inside. There was no color here, she noticed. Only the golden flowers kept their color when Toriel left her first home. There were a few monsters hiding around the house, whispering a tale from long ago…

“A long time ago, a human fell into the Ruins. Inured by its fall, the human called out for help.” 

They found a key in the kitchen,which Frisk put on the keychain that was attached to the phone, and chocolate in the fridge. Tallon left suggest they leave that alone. 

“Asriel, the king’s son, heard the human’s call. He brought the human back to the castle.”

There are two gifts in the bedroom that looked like their room in the Ruins. One held a worn dagger, the other a locket. Tallon’s hand shook as she picked up the dagger, making sure to tuck it into her bag carefully so that it couldn’t hurt them should they reach in it later. Frisk looked content once the locket was around their neck.

“Over time, Asriel and the human became like siblings. The king and queen treated the human child as their own. The underground was full of hope.”

There was another key on the hall table, which Frisk added to the keychain. The bedroom was a mirror image of Toriel’s. The journal is Asgore’s, with “Nice day today!” written over and over again on every new page. Tallon thinks back to Toriel’s journal, all the jokes and signs of life and love…

Frisk walks ahead of her, clutching the phone in hand. They carefully unlock the padlocks, allowing Tallon to set the chain on the floor quietly so as not to disturb the house. They climbed down the familiar, yet different, staircase. Downstairs the music becomes louder, the monsters are laying around, continuing the story as the humans walk by.

“Then...one day…the human became very ill.”

“The sick human had only one request. To see the flowers from their village. But there was nothing we could do.”

“The next day...the human died…Asriel, wracked with grief, absorbed the human’s SOUL. He transformed into a being with incredible power.”

“With the human SOUL, Asriel crossed through the barrier. He carried the human’s body into the sunset. Back to the village of the humans.”

“Asriel reached the center of the village. There, he found a bed of golden flowers. He carried the human onto it.”

“Suddenly, screams rang out. The villagers saw Asriel holding the human’s body. They thought that he had killed the child.”

“The humans attacked him with everything they had. He was struck with blow after blow. Asriel had the power to destroy them all.”

Frisk had to pull Tallon along. She kept wanting to stop, to listen, to grieve. 

“But…Asriel did not fight back. Clutching the human…Asriel smiled, and walked away.”

“Wounded, Asriel stumbled home. He entered the castle and collapsed. His dust spread across the garden.”

“The kingdom fell into despair. The king and queen had lost two children in one night. The humans had once again taken everything from us.”

“The king decided it was time to end our suffering. Every human who falls down here must die. With enough souls, we can shatter the barrier forever.”

Tallon suddenly missed the silence. Anything was better than this.

“It’s not long now.”

“King Asgore will let us go.”

“King Asgore will give us hope.”

“King Asgore will save us all.”

“You should be smiling, too. Aren’t you excited? Aren’t you happy?”

“You’re going to be free.”

A chill ran down Tallon’s back at the whispered words. What sort of freedom did the monster mean? Asgore cannot spare them, if he wishes to free the monsters. Before them is the golden hall, the Hall of Judgment. Sans was nowhere to be found.

Frisk took a deep breath and marched forward, but Tallon took her time following, looking around at the high arches that framed the tall windows, the glimmer of the sun against the floor. She felt soothed here, even after everything that she’d seen happen in this hall, it was calming. She could hardly picture the stain of blood on the tiles…

The music stopped. Tallon looked ahead, and there was Sans, standing a few feet in front of Frisk. He was smiling, but then…he often was. A bell from...somewhere began to ring. Three sharp  _ ding ding ding _ s echoed through the hall. Sans began to speak, “So you finally made it. The end of your journey is at hand. In a few moments, you will meet the king. Together…” Sans glanced at Tallon, then focused back on Frisk, “You will determine the future of this world. That’s then. Now.” Tallon flinched. “You will be judged.” Frisk shivered, though the sunlight made the Hall warm. “You will be judged for your every action. You will be judged for every EXP you’ve earned.”

Frisk was nodding along to his words but Tallon gave him a look, “What’s EXP?”

Sans looked up at her, his smile tight, “It’s an acronym. It stands for ‘execution points.’ A way of quantifying the pain you have inflicted on others. When you kill someone, your EXP increases. When you have enough EXP, your LOVE increases.” Before Tallon could ask, he held up a hand, “LOVE, too, is an acronym. It stands for ‘Level of Violence.’ It’s a way of measuring someone’s capacity to hurt. The more you kill, the easier it becomes to distance yourself. The more you distance yourself, the less you will hurt. The more easily you can bring yourself to hurt others.”

He shrugged, “Your SOUL can’t be pulled into battle, so you have nothing to worry about.” He looked back to Frisk, who was standing still with their back straight and their chest puffed forward. “...but you. you never gained any LOVE.” Frisk let out a sigh of relief, and Sans laughed, “‘course, that doesn’t mean you’re completely innocent or naive. just that you kept a certain tenderness in your heart. no matter the struggles or hardships you faced...you strived to do the right thing. you refused to hurt anyone. even when you ran away, you did it with a smile. you never gained LOVE, but you gained love. does that make sense?””

Tallon wrapped an arm around Frisk’s neck and ruffled their hair. They laughed, swatted at her in kind but returned the half-hearted hug. “Yeah,” they said.

Sans was smiling, and it was genuine. “...now.” He took a deep breath and tilted his head towards the door behind him, “you’re about to face the greatest challenge of your entire journey. your actions here...will determine the fate of the entire world. if you refuse to fight...asgore will take your soul and destroy humanity. but if you kill asgore and go home...monsters will remain trapped underground. what will you do?”

Frisk looked panicked. “Isn’t there some other option?” Tallon asked, clutching the child closer. “C’mon Sans, there has to be another way…”

He looked sad, “...well, if i were you, i would have thrown in the towel by now. but you didn’t get this far by giving up, did you?”

Frisk took a deep breath and shook their head, “No…”

“that’s right. you have something called ‘determination.’ so as long as you hold on...so long as you do what’s in your heart...i believe you can do the right thing.” 

Sans looked surprised as Frisk flung themself at him, his eye flashing blue for just a second before the kid’s arms wrapped around his neck. He let out a sigh and hugged Frisk back, smiling at Tallon. She was holding back tears. She pulled out the camera and snapped a picture of them,  _ revenge for all the other pictures _ , she thought, but she didn’t mean it. 

Sans gently pushed Frisk away and said, “alright. we’re all counting on you, kid. good luck.” Sans winked, and then turned towards the window and disappeared behind a pillar. 

The humans stood there for a few minutes, both thinking about his words, the upcoming choice they’d have to make. Tallon realized the implication that, should Frisk kill Asgore, only one of them could cross the barrier. She wondered if Frisk realized that.

* * *

 

They decided to press on, to at least meet the king and talk with him, see if there was any way they could leave without anyone dying. Tallon waved at a large, open doorway, and Frisk pointed down the hall. There was another hallway that led to a set of stairs. 

She didn’t have any hints at what to do here. They were on their own. Tallon crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she looked between the two paths. “How about we each take one, and whoever finds a dead end, they turn back to the other path and find the other.” Frisk nodded. “I’ll go down the stairs, alright? And I’ll let you hold a  few items in case you need them.” She pulled off her bag and handed them a few sweets as they pointed to them. 

When they filled their pockets, they gave her a quick hug. “Be careful,” they said, and walked through the doorway and out of sight.

* * *

 

As she walked down the stairs, there was silence. In the room below, there were coffins.

“Oh.” 

_ That’s A Very Lackluster Response To Finding The Coffins Of Six Fallen Children. _

Tallon laughed, more relieved to hear that voice than fearful of the implications of the coffin in front of her.  _ You’ve been quiet for a while, you alright? _

_ I’m Still Here. After Your Last Conversation With Sans, I Needed To Make Sure He Didn’t Catch Onto Who I Am.  _

_ And just who are you? _

_...All Things Will Be Known, In Their Own Time. _

Tallon thought she might know what that meant. She ascended the stairs.

* * *

 

Frisk was waiting at the door. They looked scared, but hid it when they noticed her coming around the corner. “I wanna go check on something...really quick.”

Tallon paused, looking past them into what seemed to be a throne room. “Alright…” She wanted to question them, but remembered that Sans said all they needed to do was believe in the kid and they’d do the right thing this time around. So she did. 

They started walking back. 

Tallon was both suspicious and worried when they entered the core. She’d expected them to want to visit the New Home again, but the kid had kept walking. The door to the entrance of the Core slid open and they were back in Hotland, behind the Hotel. Tallon opened her mouth to say something when the phone began to ring. Frisk’s whole body slouched with relief. 

They answered and put it on speaker, holding it between themself and Tallon so she could hear, “Hello?” 

“Hey..!” A sharp, loud voice called from the other end. “Uh, this is Undyne…”

“As if we couldn’t tell,” Tallon teased. 

There was muffled talking in the background, Undyne whispered, “Shut up, Papyrus! This was YOUR idea!” There was a shuffling noise, as if she was moving away from the nosey skeleton, and suddenly she shouted, “HUMAN!” Undyne coughed, as if she was nervous, “You have to deliver something for me!” There was a brief pause before, “Uh, please?”

“Sure thing, Undyne!”

“Thanks, I’m at Snowdin in front of Papyrus’. I’ll see ya, punk!”  _ Click! _

Tallon gave Frisk a look but they ignored her. They all but ran ahead to the Hotel. It was moments like this where Tallon wished Sans was nearby so he could teleport them where they needed to go.

_ Is That The Only Time You Wish He Was Near? _

_ Maybe you should go back to being quiet. _

The voice laughed and Frisk called for Tallon to hurry up before she got left behind.

* * *

 

Tallon led Frisk to the RiverPerson, who was waiting where she remembered leaving them in the past timeline. They smiled, “Tra la la. Care for a ride?”

“Can you take us to Snowdin, please?” Frisk asked as they climbed into the boat. “Snowdin? Certainly. Come aboard, miss, and we’ll be on our way.”

Tallon sat between Frisk and the monster. The kid offered the monster money but the RiverPerson declined. As they rode, the monster continued singing. Tallon was weary of any odd statements they might make this ride. 

“Tra la la. Don’t snoop behind people’s houses...You might be mistaken for a trash-can.” Frisk laughed, but Tallon paused. She thought of the brother’s house, about the door she’d once asked about before. _ “‘s nothin’,”  _ Sans had said,  _ “just a storage space. don’t even know where the key ended up, heh.” _ She thought of the key that Sans had said was his, and how he’d thought he’d lost it and has been using a backup key in its place.

_ Maybe...maybe we should try the key out on that door. _

* * *

 

She remembered to give Frisk their jacket before they entered Snowdin, though she didn’t have anywhere to change into her long sleeve. The cold was, well, cold, when they came to a stop, and she asked that the monster wait until they finish with this errand so they could ride again. “Of course, tra la la.”

They walked the familiar path to the brother’s house, waving at the passing monsters. The cheerful tune of Snowdin was so nice compared to the mechanics of the Core, or the melancholy of New Home. There was a gust of wind and Tallon shuddered. Something warm wrapped around her shoulders. “careful, don’t want you catchin’ a cold out here,” a familiar voice murmured in her ear. Sans wasn’t there when she turned, but his coat still was. She burrowed into the soft fabric and inhaled deeply. Frisk was smiling. 

Undyne was indeed standing outside the house with Papyrus. Tallon left Frisk alone with the two monsters and found the door again. She wrestled her keyring out of her bag and tried the mystery key on the door. There was a  _ click _ and the door creaked open. There’s a flight of dark stairs leading downward, a secret basement apparently. She knew she didn’t have long, so she made her way down the dark stairs. She ran into a string at the base of the stairs and pulled it. The light flickered for a moment, then stayed lit, revealing a small sort of lab. A tarp was thrown over something in the corner. Tallon hesitated, unsure about her purpose here. 

_ You Wished For Answers, And So Sans Offered Them. Did He Not Allow You To Search This Place? _

_ I... _ Tallon remembered his words, _ turnabout’s fair play _ …She set her bag by the stairs and hung Sans’ jacket on the coat rack next to a lab coat that has his nametag on it. She took a closer look and saw the words “royal assistant” above it. 

She began her exploration. Under the tarp was a large machine that has obviously been gathering dust for a long time.  _ Seems like the whole lab hasn’t been used in a while,  _ Tallon noted, running a finger across the counter and rubbing off the dust. There were several drawers under the counter that she decided to check out. A few of them were locked, and when Tallon tried the key it didn’t work so she let them be. There were two that she could open, one containing notes in a font she can’t read, and the other a photo album. One photo falls out from between the pages. Tallon picked it up and examined it. There was a group of scientists in the picture; Sans and Alphys stand on either side of a tall skeleton with holes in his hands.

_ Who is he? _

_ That Is The Previous Royal Scientist, Doctor Gaster. _

_ The one the grey monsters kept mentioning? _

The voice hummed an affirmative. Tallon was about to ask more questions when something caught her eye. There was a drawing in the draw, made in crayon, of three figures smiling together. There’s a tall one, drawn in black, a small one, drawn in blue, and one that fits perfectly between them in red. Tallon wondered who drew it, and why. 

“Tallon?”

She turned at the sound of Frisk’s voice.  _ Guess that’s enough snooping through the past, time to get back to the now.  _ Tallon fixed everything the way she’d found it and pulled on Sans jacket. She turned off the light before heading back up the stairs. 

“Tallon, are you there?”

“I’m coming, Frisk!” Tallon locked the door and slipped the key into Sans’ pocket. She rounded the corner to see three smiling faces. No one questions where she’s been, but explains their new task. Undyne wrote a letter for Alphys and didn’t want to trek through Hotlands to give it to her. Tallon laughed, “Alright, let’s get going then.”

* * *

 

Tallon left the jacket hanging on one of the trees near the RiverPerson’s port. Frisk informed them of where they were heading and Tallon climbed into the boat. “And we’re off…” Little legs sprouted on the bottom of the boat and they dashed across the water. Tallon caught a glimpse of a certain skeleton slipping into a blue jacket before he was hidden by the trees. 

“Tra la la. Hmmm…” She felt her body tense. “The waters are wild today, that’s good luck.”

Frisk beamed at the monster, “I sure hope so!”

Tallon thought of sailors and stormy seas. A bad omen. She hoped the RiverPerson was right as well. The heat of Hotland pulled her from her train of thought. 

They walked to Alphys’ lab and slid the letter under the door, “Welp. Now that that’s out of the way let’s-”

Alphys voice was quiet on the other side. “O-oh n-no, is that another letter..?”

_ Another..? _ Tallon paused, leaning closer to the door to listen in. 

“I don’t want to open it...c-can’t I just slide it back out..?” Alphys paused, seemingly debating the idea. “N...no...I can’t keep doing this.”

_ Doing what, Alphys? You gotta give me a few more clues than that. _

“I’ll read this one.” There was a pause and then, “Um...i-it’s shut k-kind of strongly, isn’t it?” Frisk giggled and Tallon shushed them quickly, not wanting to get in trouble for snooping. “Wait a second…” The door opened, revealing a very sad doctor. “Hey, if this is a joke, it’s…” She noticed who she was speaking to, “Oh My God? Did YOU write this letter?” She was staring at Tallon now, suddenly nervous. “It wasn’t signed, so, I had no idea who could have...Oh my god. Oh no. That’s adorable...and I h-had no idea you, um, wrote that way! It’s surprising, too...after all the gross stuff I did...I don’t really deserve to be forgiven. Much less, um...this? And so passionately too.”

Tallon was too busy piecing together what could have been in the letter to respond.  _ You May Want To Explain- _

“You know what, okay! I’ll do it! It’s the least I can do to make it up to you!”

“Wait, do what?”

“Go on a date!”

_ Too Late, Now, I’m Afraid. _

Tallon felt something tug at her SOUL, and for the first time she’s been underground...it exited her body. The world fell away, all colors draining until there was only her and...well, noone. Alphys was somewhere in the darkness but Tallon couldn’t see her. “Uhhh, sorry! I’m still getting dressed!” 

“Take your time, Alphys,” Tallon replied and turned to look at her SOUL, which hovered a foot in front of her. It was maroon in color. Something about it puzzled her…

“H-how do I look?” Tallon looked up to see Alphys standing before her, now wearing a red dress with white polkadots. She was blushing.

Tallon smiled, “You look nice!”

“My friend helped me pick out this dress. She’s got a great sense of…” Alphys smiled at the ground before shaking her head and looking back at Tallon, “Um, anyway! Let’s do this thing!” The dating music began, but Alphys interrupted before Tallon could really get in the groove, “H-h-hey, w-w-wait! Actually, we still can’t start the date yet!!” Alphys SOUL took over, the awkward sound now surrounded them. “Umm, I’ve gotta give you items to raise your affection statistic, first!”

“But that’s not-”

“That’ll increase the chance of a successful outcome to the date!”

“That only works in-”

“D-don’t worry! I’m prepared! I-I’ve been stockpiling gifts in anticipation for a date like this! F-first, I’ve got...” She rummaged in a pocket, Tallon was pleased by this fact, there are so few cute dresses with pockets, and held out a bottle, “some metal armor polish!” She paused, realising the uselessness of the gift. “Maybe you can’t use that...but!!!” She reached in the pocket again and pulled out a small jar, “I’ve also got some waterproof cream for your scales!” 

Tallon tried not to laugh, the armor was one thing but scale cream?

Alphys quickly shoved the item back in her pocket and reached for the other one, “Uh, well, how about…” She pulled out a box, “This magical spear repair kit, that I...um…”

Tallon had to hold a hand in front of her mouth to hide her laugh. She coughed a few times to get it under control. Alphys was doing her best. 

“Hey, let’s forget about the items! Let’s just start the date!” 

The two stood there for a minute, Alphys staring at the floor, Tallon staring at Alphys. The monster blushed, “...uh...do you...like...anime..?”

“Yeah, there are some pretty good ones I’ve watched recently.”

“H-hey! Me too!!” Silence again. “Hey! Let’s!! Go somewhere!!!”

“Alright where do you want to go?”

“Where’s a good place to go on a date..?”

Tallon shrugged, tucking her thumbs in her pockets, “I don’t live here so you tell me.” 

She was about to suggest Snowdin, just so they’d run into Undyne and this whole mess could be resolved, when Alphys blurted out, “I’ve got it!!! Let’s go to the garbage dump!!!”

Tallon didn’t know what to say to that so Alphys took that as agreement. It felt weird to have her SOUL re enter her body, like a weight was placed back on her heart that she hadn’t noticed was missing, and the darkness around them faded. Frisk was sitting on the ground, a huge smile on their face. As Alphys dragged Tallon along, Frisk jumped up and followed. 

~~~

At some point, Alphys decided it had to have been Frisk who wrote it, out of the two humans, as Tallon seemed uninterested in the date at all, not after feeling her SOUL leave her body for the first time. Frisk blushed, and Tallon wondered how far the kid was going to let this go.

“Here we are!” Alphys waved around at the trash around them with a sort of pride. Tallon found a chair that was mostly put together and sat down, close enough to watch this trainwreck of a date, but far enough that she wasn’t affected by the magic again.

“This is where Undyne and I come all the time...we find all sorts of great stuff here.” Alphys started blushing, “Heh, she’s really…uh...” A faint, but familiar, battle tune was walking their way. Alphys began to panic. “Oh no. That’s her over there. I c-can’t let her see me on a date with you!”

Tallon was trying not to laugh as Frisk asked, “Oh...why not?”

“Why..? Because, uh...well…” The music was closer now, “Oh no, here she comes!!” Alphys hid behind a nearby trashcan just as Undyne rounded the corner.

The fish monster was out of her usual workout clothes and into something more classy, a leather jacket and a scarf reminiscent of a certain friendly skeleton. “Hey!! There you are!!” She waved at Tallon, who was pulling out her camera from her bag. “I, uh, realized...if you deliver that thing...it might be a bad idea. So I’m gonna do it!!! Give it to me!!!”

Frisk held up her hands, “I don’t have it, Undyne.”

“Huh!? You don’t have it!?” She turned to Tallon, who shook her head. “Ngggaaahhh!! Have you at least seen her!?”

Frisk nodded, “Yeah.”

“So she’s somewhere around here…thanks, I’ll keep looking.” Before Undyne could walk away, Tallon called her over. 

“Can you turn down the battle cry? Cause if you stick around here you’ll see her.” Tallon guessed monsters can control the volume of their SOUL because it became fainter, almost distant, even though she was right next to her. “Thanks, have a seat.” Undyne found a stray couchin from another bit of furniture and sat beside the chair, just out of sight of Alphys. 

Who was now coming out from behind the trash. “Oh my god...w...well, I guess it’s obvious, huh?”

_ Did...did she seriously not hear any of that?  _ Tallon glanced at Undyne, who was staring at the scientist intensely.

“I...uh...I really like her. I mean, more than I like other people!” She looked at the ground, fiddling with her hands, “I’m sorry. I j-just figured, y-you know...it’d be f-fun to go on like, a cute, kind of...pretend date with you? T-to make you feel better?”

“Oh.” Frisk pretended to be sad about that.

“Well, it sounds even worse when I put it like that. I’m sorry. I messed up again. Undyne’s the person I um...really want to go on a date with. But, I mean...she’s way out of my league. N-not that you aren’t, um, cool! B-but...Undyne...She’s so confident...and strong...and funny...and I’m just a nobody. A fraud.”

Undyne almost jumped from her position but Tallon held out a hand, asking her to wait. She sat down, angry.

“I’m the royal scientist, but...all I’ve ever done is hurt people. I’ve told her so many lies, she thinks I’m...she thinks I’m a lot cooler than I actually am. If she gets closer to me, she’ll...she’ll find out the truth about me. What should I do?”

Frisk shrugged, “I would tell her the truth.”

“The truth..? But if I tell her that, she’ll hate me. Isn’t it better this way? To live a lie where both people are happy...or a truth where neither of us are?”

“Are you really happy though?”

Alphys considered their question, “They say ‘be yourself.’ But I don’t really like who ‘myself’ is. I’d rather just be whatever makes people like me. Eheheh…”

Frisk smiled sadly at her.

She sighed, “No, you’re right. Every day I’m scared...scared what will happen if people learn the truth on their own. They’ll all get hurt because of me...but how can I tell UNDYNE the tr...truth? I d-don’t have the confidence...I’m going to mess it up! How can I practice!?”

“We could roleplay it?”

“R...roleplay?” The doctor considered it. “...that actually sounds kind of fun! Ok, which one of us will be Undyne?”

“I’ll be Undyne!”

“Oh. Right. Obviously. Ehehe…”

Tallon and Undyne were snickering in their seats, keeping quiet so the others couldn’t hear.

“And she thinks she isn’t cool…” Undyne muttered.

Alphys cleared her throat and began, “H-hi Undyne...h-how are you doing today?”

“I’m fine,” Frisk said, trying to mimic Undyne’s voice. They sort of ended up just shouting but they looked pleased. 

“Ha! Ha! Glad to hear it!!” She paused, her face red. “Uhhh, so I’d like to, um, talk to you about something.”

“What is it, Alphys?”

“Umm, you see...I...I...I...I h-haven’t been exactly truthful w-w-with you…” She was getting nervous again, her hands hiding her face. “Y...you see, I...I...oh, forget it! Undyne!!! I...I want to tell you how I feel! Y-you’re so brave, a-and s-strong...a-and nice...y-you always listen t-to me when I talk about n-n-nerdy stuff...y-you always d-d-do your best to m-make me f-f-feel special...l-like t-telling me that y-you’ll b-beat up anyone that g-gets in my way…” Alphys paused for a moment, her breath coming out in short huffs. Suddenly, she screamed, “UNDYNE!!! I CAN’T TAKE THIS ANY LONGER!!! I’M MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU!!!”

Tallon looked to her side but the Head of the Royal Guard wasn’t beside her.

“HOLD ME, UNDYNE!! HOLD ME!!!”

Undyne came around the corner, her visible eye wide. “WHAT did you just say?”

Alphys stepped back, her face as red as her dress, “U...Undyne! I...was...just...”

“Hey, woah, wait a second! Your outfit’s really cute! What’s the occasion?” She paused, glancing at Frisk, and then at Alphys again, “Wait a second. Are you two...on a date?”

_ Uh-oh, forgot to mention that part. _

“UHHH, YES! I mean, UHHH NO! I mean, we were, but I mean, actually we were only romantically roleplaying as you!”

“WHAT???”

“I MEAN!!! I mean...Undyne...I...I’ve been lying to you!” Alphys cried out, her cheeks a bright red. Tallon sat tensed at the edge of her chair, ready to defend the nervous scientist should things get out of hand.

“WHAT??? ABOUT WHAT???”

“About...well…everything!” Alphys stepped closer, her frame finally done shaking. “I told you  that seaweed was like...scientifically important. Really, I just...I just use it to make ice cream! And those human history books I keep reading...those are just dorky comic books! And the history movies...those...those are just, uh, anime! They aren’t real!” Undyne looked offended at that statement but held her peace. Alphys was only a few steps in front of her now, gaining confidence with every step. “And that time I told you I was busy with work on the phone...I was just eating frozen yogurt in my pajamas! And that time I-”

“Alphys.” Undyne’s voice was gentle. 

“I...I just wanted to impress you! I just wanted you to think I was smart and cool. That I wasn’t some...nerdy loser.”

Undyne placed a hand on the smaller monsters head, “Alphys.”

“Undyne, I...I really think you’re neat, ok…”

“Alphys.” Undyne dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Alphys. She rubbed the other’s back in slow circles. “Shhhh. Shhhhhh.” Tallon almost shed a tear at the tenderness the normally sharp woman was showing, until suddenly Undyne stood, Alphys in hand, and threw her in the trash can that she’d hid behind earlier. “Alphys!”

_ Aaannnddd the moment is gone. _

“I...think you’re neat, too, I guess. But, you’ve gotta realize...most of what you said really doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care if you’re watching kid cartoons or reading history books. To me, ALL of that stuff is just NERDY CRAP! What I like about you is that you’re PASSIONATE! You’re ANALYTICAL!! It doesn’t matter what it is! YOU CARE ABOUT IT!! 100-PERCENT!! AT MAXIMUM POWER!!!” Undyne paused, her face falling into a smaller, kinder smile, “...so, you don’t have to lie to me. I don’t want you to have to lie to anyone anymore. Alphys…I want to help you become happy with who you are!” 

Tallon felt a tear roll down her cheek at the statement. 

“And I know just the training you need to do that!” 

Alphys peaked out from under the lid. “Undyne...you...y-you’re gonna train me..?”

“Pffft, what? ME?”

A wild Papyrus appeared, peaking out from behind some trash in a cute jogboy outfit. Tallon about fell out of her chair as she laughed. 

“Nah, I’m gonna get Papyrus to do it.”

He jumped over the garbage and posed dramatically, his hand thrown in the air. “GET THOSE BONES SHAKIN’!!! IT’S TIME TO JOG 100 LAPS, HOOTING ABOUT HOW GREAT WE ARE!!!”

_ That’s a pretty...hefty order.  _

_ Did You Expect Anything Less? _

Tallon smiled.

“Ready? I’m about to start the timer!” 

Alphys stuttered, “U-Undyne…” She sighed, accepting her fate. “I’ll do my best..!” They began to jog away. 

Undyne watched silently for a moment before her SOUL music started again, faster than Tallon had ever heard. “OH MY GOD!!! She was kidding, right!? Those cartoons...those comics...those are still REAL, right!? ANIME’S REAL, RIGHT?!?!”

Frisk looked to Tallon, their eyes wide, almost frightened. “Um...no, anime’s not real…”

“No...NO!!!! I CAN FEEL MY HEART BREAKING INTO PIECES!!!”

Tallon scrambled over to them now, her bag in tow. “Undyne…”

She took a deep breath, “No, I can survive this…I have to be strong.” Her face softened, “For Alphys.” Undyne smiled at the two humans, “Thank you, human, for telling me the truth. I’ll try my best to live in this world...see you later!” She took off running after the others.

The humans looked at each other and began laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! We're a few chapters out from the end, so get ready for some answers in the chapter after next~  
> Questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Post below!  
> -JM


	29. 5 Keys and the Secrets They Hold

Frisk was sending a few messages on the UnderNet site as they walked through the Dump to dry land. They tugged at Tallon’s sleeve, “Hey! We got this key from Bratty and Catty, any idea what it’s for?” They held up the phone, showing a third key on the keyring. Tallon thought about their travels. Were there any other places they couldn’t get into? 

_ The Pink House, Perhaps? _

_ Eh? Pink House? _

_ Beside Napstablook’s Home There Is A Pink House, Whose Door Has Been Locked For Some Time Now. Perhaps The Girls Have Found The Key To This Home. _

_ Hmmm… _

“Hey Frisk, wasn’t there a house next to Blooky’s?”

They thought for a moment before their eyes got wide. “Yeah!” Frisk darted forward as they came to dry land. Tallon laughed, but followed the child close behind. They were fiddling with the keys when she found them again. “C’mon, Tallon! I wanna see what’s in here!” 

“Alright alright, calm down ya little snoop. Go ahead, unlock the door.” 

The key was warped but fit in the lock nicely. As the lock  _ click _ ed, the key faded from Frisk’s hand. The human’s looked to each other, shrugged, and opened the door. Inside was a simple little room, similar to that of Napstablook’s. It was a bright pink, with a bed tucked in the corner, a TV in the other. There was a pink rug with a star similar to those on the wall between them and an old movie poster on the wall. Frisk picked up a diary from the floor. There were five all together. 

“Whatcha got there, kiddo?” Tallon put a hand on their shoulder, looking at the first entry. 

**Dear Diary: Shyren’s sister “fell down” recently. It’s sad. Without her sister to speak for her...she’s become more...reclusive than ever. So I reached out to her, and told her that she, Blooky, and I should all perform together sometime. She seemed to like that idea.**

“These must have belonged to the cousin Napstablook mentioned…” Tallon flipped through a few empty pages before reaching for another diary.

**Dearer Diary: I like to buy a new diary for every entry I make. I love to collect diaries.**

Frisk giggled and reached for the next one. 

**Dearest Diary: Our cousin left the farm to become a training dummy. That leaves just Blooky and I. Blooky asked me if I was going to try to become corporeal, too. They sounded so...resigned...come on, Blooky. You know I’d never leave you behind. And besides...I’d never find the kind of body I’m looking for, anyway.**

Frisk looked remorseful. 

**My Darling Diary: I met someone...interesting today. Last week I posted that advertisement for my human fanclub. Today was our first meeting. Only one other person came. Honestly, she’s a dork. And she’s obsessed with these awful cartoons. But she’s kind of funny, too...I want to see her again.**

Frisk looked up, “Do they mean...Alphys?” 

Tallon shrugged, reaching for the next one. 

**Diary...my dear: My diary collection is going fabulously. I have like five now.**

Frisk laughed again and flipped open the last one. They scanned the lines and their face fell.

“What’s up?”

They handed her the book. 

**Dear Diary: She surprised me with something today. Sketches of a body that she wants to create for me...a form beyond my wildest fantasies. In a form like that, I could finally feel like…’myself’. After all, there’s no way I can be a star the way I am now. Sorry, Blooky. My dreams can’t wait for anyone…**

Tallon closed the book and set it back down with the rest. Frisk was looking at the floor, their fists tightly clinched by their side. “Hey…” 

They shook their head and looked up at her with a smile. “Well! I don’t see anything else to look at around here, so I guess we should head onward, haha!” They laughed for a moment before sighing. “I...guess this explains Mettaton’s reaction to Blooky’s call, but…” They struggled for words, so Tallon just nodded. 

“I know kid, let’s keep going then.” She opened the door, holding it so Frisk could walk under her arm and back out into Waterfall. They found the RiverPerson humming alone in their boat and asked for a ride to Hotlands. 

“Tra la la, if it’s hot or cold, you can count on me.”

* * *

 

There’s a shortcut to the Core, but Frisk insisted on going through Alphy’s lab. The voice didn’t protest the change in direction, so Tallon followed without questioning. Everything was the same, the desk was littered with papers and discarded bowls of ramen. Frisk pointed at something on the floor. Tallon walked ahead of them, swiping a piece of paper off the ground just as the previously locked bathroom door slid open. She held the paper low enough so Frisk could read it along with her. The handwriting was messy, but they did their best to read it. 

**Hey. Thanks for your help back there. You guys...your support really means alot to me. But...as difficult as it is to say this…**

**You guys alone can’t magically make my own problems go away. I want to be a better person. I don’t want to be afraid anymore. And for that to happen, I have to be able to face my own mistakes.**

**I’m going to start doing that now.**

**I want to be clear. This isn’t anyone else’s problem but mine. But if you don’t ever hear from me again...if you want to know ‘the truth’...enter the door to the north of this note.**

**You all at least deserve to know what I did.**

Frisk pulled the paper out of Tallon’s hand and read it over again. Then again. They looked up at Tallon with wide eyes, then looked at the open door. 

Tallon was seconds behind them as they sprinted into what turns out to be an elevator. They pressed a button and it began it’s decent. After a few floors it began shaking, a red light flashed and there was a voice screaming “WARNING! WARNING! ELEVATOR LOSING POWER! EM TETHER STABILITY LOST! ALTITUDE DROPPING!”

Tallon threw herself at Frisk, holding them close and crouching in the corner.

* * *

 

Tallon rubbed her head, her vision swimming a little as the doors to the elevator opened. Frisk had a tight grip on her shirt. “-allon? Tallon!”

She shook her head and focused on the child in her arms, “I’m...I’m fine.” Tallon released her grip on them and sat down until there was only one exit instead of three. Frisk waited patiently beside her until she could stand. 

“Alright, let’s see where we are.” They stepped into a dark hallway, the sort Tallon often tried to warn protagonists against in movies. She wanted to laugh at the irony of her current situation but she kept a straight face, for Frisk’s sake. She didn’t want to seem like she was losing it in front of them in such a gloomy place, it could make the more scared then they probably already are. 

They  began to walk forward, hand in hand. 

There are screens along the hallway that lit as they passed. Random symbols flashed on the screen, and then unscrambled into a more legible text. Tallon thought she recognized the first font but couldn’t place it. 

**Entry Number 1: This is it...time to do what the King has asked me to do. I will create the power to free us all. I will unleash the power of the SOUL.**

**Entry Number 2: The barrier is locked by SOUL power...unfortunately, this power cannot be recreated artificially. SOUL power can only be derived from what was once living. So, to create more, we will have to use what we have now. The SOULs of monsters.**

**Entry Number 3: But extracting a SOUL from a living monster would require incredible power...besides being impractical, doing so would instantly destroy the SOUL’s host. And, unlike the persistent SOULs of humans...the SOULs of most monsters disappear immediately upon death. If only I could make a monster’s SOUL last…**

**Entry Number 5: I’ve done it. Using the blueprints, I’ve extracted it from the human SOULs. I believe this is what gives their SOULs the strength to persist after death. The will to keep living...the resolve to change fate. Let’s call this power…’Determination’.**

Tallon paused at this one, stepped back to the previous one, and came back to Frisk’s side. “There’s one that’s missing…”

Frisk shrugged, taking her hand once more and continuing down the hall. They’ve been avoiding looking at the screens, but stopped at each so Tallon could read them quickly. She wondered if they had an idea of what was going on down here, if past memories of other timelines bled through for them as they did her.

They found a note, but it was barely more than scratches on the page. Tallon was able to decipher some words, but not the whole message. “Elevator...lost power...enter the center door…”

Frisk pointed at the sign next to the mentioned door. It read POWER ROOM. Tallon nodded, “Looks like we need a few things to unlock it though,” she mentioned, pointing at the four symbols on the door. “Got a couple paths we can take. Which one do you want to try first?”

The child looked between the two, a door and a hall, and began walking down the hall. “Probably need something for that door too, dontcha think?”

Tallon ruffled their hair before they linked hands again.

* * *

 

**Entry Number 6: Asgore asked everyone outside the city for monsters that had ‘fallen down.’ Their bodies came in today. They’re still comatose...and soon, they’ll all turn into dust. But what happens if I inject ‘determination’ into them? If their SOULs persist after they perish, then...freedom might be closer than we all thought.**

The room was filled with a sort of fog. Tallon reminded Frisk to stay close by as she stepped towards the screen on the wall.

**Entry Number 9: things aren’t going well. none of the bodies have turned into dust, so i can’t get the SOULs. i told the families that i would give them the dust back for the funerals. people are starting to ask me what’s happening. what do i do?**

Tallon stared at it for a moment, noticing a difference in the typeface on this entry, and the grammar. It almost reminded her of Sans, how soft spoken he usually was. Alphys was similar, she supposed, but she’d just seen a letter in her hand and she used proper capitalization. 

Frisk made a noise of disgust, distracting Tallon from the screen. She hadn’t noticed them stepping away, and now their hand was covered in a goopy substance where they’d touched one of the operational tables. She laughed as they wiped their hand on their pants and walked towards the sink. “I think I saw a note in the next room. Can you get it while I wash my hands?”

She shrugged and stepped into the next room. There was indeed a note on the ground. It was written in the same red marker as the last one, and just as illegible. “Drain...dropped it…”  _ What’s that supposed to- _

Tallon heard the familiar sound of Battle Music from the other room and quickly rejoined her companion. Before her was Frisk, standing in front of three gooey monsters. She could see several faces on each of them, which confused her. 

Frisk pulled out their phone and they could hear a faint voice through the receiver, “come join the fun.” 

“Um...no thanks, I’ve got some stuff to do…”

The monsters sighed, each speaking in turn: “That’s a shame.”

“It’s a real get together.”

“Lorem ipsum docet.”

The battle ended, Frisk’s SOUL was returned, and the monsters slithered away. In the sink was a bright red key. Tallon handed it to Frisk, who examined it closely. “What were those things, Frisk?”

The kid shook their head, “I’ve never seen monsters like that…”

Tallon thought for a minute and waved for Frisk to follow her back into the side room. She’d ignored it the first time in favor of reading the note, but she’d seen it in the corner of her eye: a key hole. Frisk tried the red key in it.  _ Click! _

“Let’s go see what that did,” Tallon said, holding out her hand. They walked back to the room with the center door. A bright red light was glowing on the top corner. “Still can’t use this door. Maybe the other one was unlocked?”

Frisk peaked around the corner and nodded, “It’s glowing red.” The door slid open to reveal another hallway, filled with more screens. 

**Entry Number 12: nothing is happening. i don’t know what to do. i’ll just keep injecting everything with ‘determination’. i want this to work.**

**Entry Number 13: one of the bodies opened its eyes.**

Tallon looked at the entry number again and a chill ran down her spine. By the sign of this place, the patient waking up may have been a bad thing.

* * *

 

Ahead was a room full of beds; one had the sheets pulled down. In the corner there was a dog food bowl. Frisk, curious as ever, began examining each one, looking under the blankets, pillows, and eventually crawling on the floor so they could see under the beds until they found a yellow key. 

Tallon wandered down the hall to the right, finding a room full of mirrors and golden flowers. 

**Entry Number 7: We’ll need a vessel to wield the monster SOULs when the time comes. After all, a monster cannot absorb the SOULs of other monsters. Just as a human cannot absorb a human SOUL…so then, what about something that’s neither human nor monster?**

**Entry Number 10: experiments on the vessel are a failure. it doesn’t seem to be any different from the control cases. whatever. they’re a hassle to work with anyway. the seeds just stick to you, and won’t let go…**

Frisk joined her and waved at themself in the mirror. Their reflection waved back a few seconds later. The reflection stretched into a monster, different from the ones before but equally as terrifying. Anytime it tried to speak, it was a garbled mess. Frisk knelt and prayed for safety. The monster seemed pleased. 

“Someone finally  gets it.”

“Ribbit ribbit.”

“Courage…”

The monster clung to the glass, slipping through the cracks.

* * *

 

Frisk found a note in the next room. They handed it to Tallon to read while they tried the yellow key in the key slot. 

“I...all I can make out is the word ‘cold’. I don’t know if that’s helpful but…” Tallon shrugged and put the paper back down. “That’s all I can do.”

“That’s okay! The yellow key doesn’t go here so we’ll have to try the other room.”

So they did. Frisk led them up, then to the right. Tallon made a note to check out the screens they passed on their way back. The room they entered was freezing. Frisk wandered ahead of her while she read the screen by the door. 

**Entry Number 11: now that mettaton’s made it big, he never talks to me anymore...except to ask when i’m going to finish his body. but i’m afraid if i finish his body, he won’t need me anymore...then we’ll never be friends ever again...not to mention, every time i try to work on it, i just get really sweaty…**

“So all the lowercase entries are by Alphys…” Tallon turned to inform Frisk about this revelation and couldn’t see them. “Frisk?” she called, taking a step into the fog of the room. “Talk to me, kid.”

“I found a switch.” 

Tallon began running her hands against her arms to keep herself warm. “Does it look dangerous?”

Frisk took a moment to think about it, “No. I’m gonna flip it.”

There was a  _ click _ from the other end of the room and the fans began to slow down. Tallon let out a sigh of relief when Frisk came into sight. Before she could join them, a monster formed between them, pulling Frisk into a battle. It was larger than the others, bulky. As she stared at it, Tallon began to see figures in it’s shape, as if it’s legs made outlines of...dogs?

Frisk waved it over and gave it a pet. It convulsed rapidly for a few moments before calming down. Tallon wondered how long it had been since it had been showed affection. The amalgamate rested its head on Frisk’s lap. Frisk continued to pet it’s...head? As if a spell was broken it pulled away and crawled up the wall. Frisk throws the a wrench they found on the floor and the monster brought it back. Tallon leaned against the wall and watched the back and forth exchange until the monster was panting from the effort. It began to lean against Frisk, dripping a goopy substance on them. They began petting it again, keeping their face away from its fur so as to keep the goop out of their mouth. It convulsed rapidly but Frisk kept a hand on it’s fur until it calmed down again, satisfied. It slithered back through the cracks in the fans. 

Tallon laughed as Frisk tried to wipe off the white mess that coated half of their body to no avail. “Sorry kid, guess you’ll have to wash up when we get out of here. C’mon, let’s keep moving.”

* * *

 

**Entry Number 15: Seems like this research was a dead end...but at least we got a happy ending out of it? I sent the SOULs and the vessel back to Asgore. And I called all of the families and told them everyone’s alive. I’ll send everyone back tomorrow. :)**

The emote at the end showed this to be another entry by Alphys. Tallon wondered who made the more scientific ones, the ones that are obviously fueled by curiosity rather than the good of all. 

**Entry Number 16: no No NO NO NO NO NO**

Frisk peaked into the room that they passed and pulled Tallon in, their other hand waving towards a figure wiggling in the shower. “Hello?” they called.

The creature didn’t respond. Tallon waited at the door as they crept forward. Frisk pulled the curtain back, revealing an empty tub. They reached in and pulled out a green key.

* * *

 

In the next room was a giant machine that sent a chill along Tallon’s spine. The shape looked so much like those blasters that Sans used against the other Frisk. She ushered them into the room in front of them in order to get away from them. She busied herself with the note on the floor. “Under...sheets…” Tallon remembered how Frisk found a key tucked in one of the beds. “Hey Frisk, I think these notes are supposed to help us find these keys. Too bad we’re finding them a little too late.”

She looked up to see them slipping the yellow key into place. They turned with a smile. “That’s two down!” 

Tallon nodded and looked around the room. There was a screen and a TV with a bunch of tapes laying around it. She decided to read the screen first because it would take the least amount of time. 

**Entry Number 4: I’ve been researching humans to see if I can find any info about their SOULs. I ended up snooping around the castle...and found these weird tapes. I don’t feel like Asgore’s watched them...I don’t think he should.**

Tallon looked down at Frisk, whose eyes were wide and full of worry. “Wanna watch them?”

They looked between her and the TV before finally nodding.

She put in the first one.

_ “Psssst. Gorey, wake up.” _ came Toriel’s soft voice.

_ “Mmm? What is it, dear?”  _ there was a pause before the deep voice continued, _ “err, and why do you have that video camera?” _

_ “Shush! I want to get your reaction. Gorey, dearest. What is my favorite vegetable?” _

_ “Hmmm...carrots, right?” _

_ “No no no! My FAVORITE vegetable is...edaMOMe.”  _ Toriel laughed, and said, _ “Get it???” _

The other voice chuckled quietly and murmured, _ “Go back to bed, dear.” _

_ “No no!! Not yet!”  _ She giggled, _ “Now, if I were a dog, what breed of dog would I be?” _

_ “Hmmm...I don’t know, honey. What kind of dog would you be?” _

_ “I would be...a MOMeranian.” _

The man let out a deep bellowing laugh. _ “You sure are excited to have this child. You know, if you keep making jokes like this...one day, you could be...a famous MOMedian.” _

_ “...well, I am going to bed.” _

Frisk laughed, as the voice from the tape cried, _ “Hey! Come on, Tori! That one was funny!” _

Toriel laughed and murmured a soft, _ “I know. I am just teasing you. Goodnight, dear.” _

_ “Goodnight, honey.” _

There was a shuffling sound, as if she was crawling out of a bed, _ “Oh dear,” _ she said, _ “perhaps it is too dark in here for the video to come out…”  _ and the tape ended. 

Frisk handed her the second tape after she got the first to eject. 

_ “Okay, Chara, are you ready? Do your creepy face!”  _ said a young voice. There was a pause, then a scream followed quickly by laughter.  _ “Oh! Wait! I had the lens cap on...what!? You’re not gonna do it again..? Come on, quit tricking me! Haha!” _

Tallon suggested they stop watching these when she noticed Frisk’s face: they were staring at the blank screen with a pained expression. “We could just keep going and-”

“No.” Their voice was sure, “no, let’s finish watching these first.”

Tallon put in the third tape. 

_ “Howdy, Chara! Smile for the camera! Ha, this time I got YOU! I left the cap on...ON PURPOSE! Now you’re smiling for noooo reason!”  _ They laughed,  _ “What? Oh, yeah, I remember. When we tried to make butterscotch pie for Dad, right? The recipe asked for cups of butter...but we accidentally put in buttercups instead.”  _ The voice paused and then, _ “Yeah! Those flowers got him really sick. I felt so bad. We made Mom really upset. I should have laughed it off, like you did...um, anyway, where are you going with this? Huh? Turn off the camera..? Ok.” _

Frisk shoved the next one at her before she was finished ejecting the last. Tallon was getting worried, both for the kids in the tapes and the one watching them.

_ “I...I don’t like this idea, Chara. Wh...what? N-no, I’m not...big kids don’t cry.” _ There was a sniffling sound and then a sigh, _ “Yeah, you’re right. No! I’d never doubt you, Chara...never! Y...yeah! We’ll be strong! We’ll free everyone. I’ll go get the flowers.” _

There was only one tape left. Tallon was hesitant to play it but Frisk insisted.

_ “Chara...can you hear me? We want you to wake up…” came the soft voice of Toriel. _

_ “CHARA!”  _ came a shout from a ways away, there was stomping and then, _ “You have to stay determined! You can’t give up...you are the future of humans and monsters...” _

_ There was shuffling and then, “Psst...Chara…” It was the young voice again, the one Tallon assumed to be Asriel. “Please...wake up...I don’t like this plan anymore. I...I…” There was a stifled sob and then, “No, I said…I said I’d never doubt you. Six, right? We just have to get six...and we’ll do it together, right?” _

The tape ended. Tallon ejected it and placed it back in the pile. “Need a minute, kid? Seems like those tapes affected you.”

“No...I’m alright…” They took a deep breath and reached for her hand, “Let’s keep going.”

* * *

 

They ran into another monster in the previous room. It smelled like sweet lemons. Frisk gave Tallon a look as the monster whispered, “Welcome to my special hell.” Its voice was low, but filled the room. 

Tallon felt a shiver run down her spine. She stepped around the fight, knowing that the monster had no interest in her and found another wall by the large machine. 

**DT Extraction Machine Status: Inactive.**

_ DT Extraction Machine? They put monsters and humans in  _ that _?! Jesus they must have been terrified… _

She heard the familiar sound of a spared SOUL, and felt a tug on her shirt. “Ready, kiddo?” Frisk nodded and they pressed on.

In the next room was a line of fridge-like machines, some fans, and a few more monitors on the wall. 

**Entry Number 19: the families keep calling me to ask when everyone is coming home. what am i supposed to say? i don’t even answer the phone anymore.**

**Entry Number 20: asgore left me five messages today. four about everyone being angry, one about this cute teacup he found that looks like me. thanks asgore.**

One of the fridges began to wiggle, but when Frisk pulled the door open it was empty.

**Entry Number 21: i spend all my time at the garbage dump now. it’s my element.**

Tallon tried not to facepalm. Alphys was starting to remind her of that hellish blue sight that she couldn’t escape. She could picture the entry on a sparkly mountain picture in a small, italic font that would be reblogged thousands of times by people who, similarly, couldn’t escape.

Frisk pulled her towards the door at the end of the hall. There was another keyhole in the wall, another note on the floor. Tallon waved Frisk towards the wall as she picked up the note. “Curtain…Sounds like we’ve already got that key,” she murmured to herself. She heard a  _ click  _ behind her and found a pleased looking Frisk.

* * *

 

Frisk found another monster hidden in one of the fridges. The room felt chilly, reminding the humans about Snowdin. The child made a pun about the snow and it seemed to calm the monster down, so they made a few more until it laughed and slinked away. 

In the trail of goop behind it, there was a blue key. Frisk quickly wiped it off and puts it on their phone’s keyring. 

“Didn’t we see a room for that key already?” 

Frisk thought about it for a moment before saying, “With the mirrors.”

“Alright, let’s go pop it in and check on that first door again, yeah?” As she turned to the door she felt their tight grip on her shirt. She turned, kneeling so she was closer to their height. “It’s alright, kiddo. We’re almost done here, aren’t we? You shouldn’t get scared now.” She ran her fingers through their hair and booped their nose, making them giggle. “Let’s just get this key into its hole and get out of here.”

“Yeah. Let’s do it.” Frisk took her hand and marched through the door.

* * *

 

The blue key  _ click _ ed into place, so the humans made their way back to the main door. There were four lights shining from it, and as they approached it slid open. Inside they found an elevator, which lead to another hallway lined with screens. They were all turned off.

Frisk was practically clinging to Tallon’s arm as they walked, their eyes forward. 

At the end of the hall was a room, home to a single machine with a red button against the far wall. Tallon gave it a quick glance, found nothing else other than a few words labeling it as the control for the elevator’s power. She looked down at her companion, “Should we press it?”

“Yeah.” 

Tallon bent down so they could step on her knee, giving them the honor of pressing the button. There was a hum that filled the room. Tallon gave Frisk a high five, but before she could complement them on being so brave, the monsters that they’ve run into began entering the room.

“They must have heard all the commotion,” Tallon murmured, pushing Frisk behind her. There wasn’t much she could do once they pulled at their SOUL, but she’d do her best to defend them anyway.

There was a rapid tapping noise from the hall but Tallon was too focused on the approaching monsters to give it much thought. “We don’t want any trouble,” she reasoned. 

The monsters ignored her, each of their steps accompanied with a wet  _ SLAP _ . 

“We’re just trying to get out of here.”

The tapping got louder, closer. Tallon figured it was another monster, there were only four in front of them after all. They were only a few feet away now. Tallon turned to wrap herself around Frisk when a voice yelled out: “Hey! Stop!!!”

It sounded familiar, but Tallon stayed wrapped around the child until it spoke again. “I got you guys some food, okay!?”

There was a chorus of mumbling before the wet  _ slip SLAP  _ began to recede. Tallon didn’t move until a clawed hand touched her shoulder, “sorry about that...they get kind of sassy when they don’t get fed on time.”

Frisk touched Tallon’s cheek and pointed at the monster beside her. She finally turned to see Alphys smiling nervously at them. She released her hold on Frisk and stood. 

“Um!! Anyway! The power went out, and I’ve been trying to turn it back on! But it seems like you were one step ahead of me.” She laughed but it was obviously fake. “This was probably just a big inconvenience for you…b-but I appreciate that you came here to back me up!”

“No! It’s alright, it was like a treasure hunt trying to find all the keys!”

The scientist nodded, shuffling her feet. “As I said, I was afraid I might...not come back…” she waved her hands, “But that’s not because of these guys or anything! I was just worried I would be too afraid...to tell the truth...that I might run away, or-” Alphys glanced at Frisk before continuing, “-do something...cowardly.”

Tallon wondered if she should send Frisk ahead, have a talk with the monster on her own. “Alphys-”

“...uh...I...I suppose I owe you an explanation. As you probably know, Asgore asked me to study the nature of SOULs. During my research, I isolated a power I called ‘determination.’ I injected it into dying monsters so their SOULs would last after death. But the experiment failed. You see, unlike humans, monster bodies don’t have enough...physical matter to take those concentrations of ‘determination.’ Their bodies started to melt, and lost what physicality they had. Pretty soon, all of the test subjects had melted together into…” Alphys waved towards the goop footsteps left on the ground. “Those.” She sighed, “seeing them like this, I knew...I couldn’t tell their families about it. I couldn’t tell anyone about it. No matter how much everyone was asking me. And I was too afraid to do any more work, knowing...everything I’d done so far had been such a horrific failure...but now. Now, I’ve changed my mind about all this. I’m going to tell everyone what I’ve done…”

Tallon nodded, “If that’s what you feel is best.”

“...it’s going to be hard. Being honest...believing in myself...I’m sure there will be times where I’ll struggle. I’m sure there will be times where I screw up again. But knowing, deep down, that I have friends to fall back on...I know it’ll be a lot easier to stand on my own. Thank you.”

“They were there all along, you just had to open your eyes, Alphys.”

Frisk ran forward and hugged the blushing monster. Tallon wrapped her arms around the both of them and gave them a tight squeeze before stepping back again. The monsters had pooled into the room again, hovering around the doorway as if waiting for something.

Alphys took a deep, steadying breath and smiled. “C’mon guys, it’s time for everyone to go home.” The monsters garbled out cheers and followed her back out the room.

The humans watched them leave, Frisk reaching back for Tallon’s hand. She took it, using her other hand to ruffle their hair. “Let’s get out of here, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

As they walked down the hall, the screens flashed red smiling faces. Tallon paused at each, feeling a churning in her stomach at every word.

**Entry Number 8: I’ve chosen a candidate. I haven’t told Asgore yet, because I want to surprise him with it...In the center of his garden, there’s something special. The first golden flower, that grew before all the others. The flower from the outside world. It appeared just before the queen left. I wonder...what happens when something without a SOUL gains the will to live?**

**Entry Number 18: the flower’s gone.**

Frisk looked pale as they read the entry, so Tallon moved them forward. She had a feeling she knew who the flower was. As they entered the elevator, the phone rang. An unfamiliar voice called out, “Chara...are you there? It’s been a long time, hasn’t it..? But you’ve done well. Thanks to you, everything has fallen into place. Chara...see you soon.”

The phone call ended and the doors to the elevator slammed shut. Tallon pulled Frisk close as it began to rise, unsure now, of what would appear when the doors opened.

* * *

 

The doors slide open, the light blinds them for a moment. They’re back in New Home. The humans step out just before the doors shut. Vines got caught in the edges, causing the elevator doors to stick shut. “Well. Guess this way is out,” Tallon joked. She took Frisk’s hand, What do you want to do, kiddo?”

They turned to answer, but a yawn interrupted them. They laughed, “Maybe we could stop at the house and sleep for a bit?”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

They wandered around until they found the house again. Frisk and Tallon agreed to sleep in the kids room, the one that mirrored their room in the Ruins. Tallon made sure to tuck the child in before she went to bed herself. 

Frisk touched her hand, “Tallon?”

“Hmmm?”

“I’m going to fight Asgore in the morning.”

“...alright.” She leaned down and kissed their forehead, “but for now you need to sleep.”

They smiled and rolled over, their body going limp as sleep won them over.

Tallon kept her bag by her bed, the flap open so that if she woke up worried she could look directly down at the weapons in her bag without worrying Frisk.

_ How Was Your Adventure In The Lab? _

Tallon’s hand jumped to cover her mouth, stopping herself before she could squeal and wake Frisk.  _ Where have you been? _

_ There Are Certain Places Where I Cannot Follow You, And That Is One Of Them. The Area Ahead Is Another. The Hall That Leads To The Barrier. The Final Battle Between Frisk And The King. _

_ You won’t be there? _

_ No, You’ll Have To Figure Out What To Do On Your Own. I Have Done All I Can To Set Things Up For You. _

She hummed quietly, thinking.  _ Do you have any advice about it?  _ She yawned.

_ We Can Talk In The Morning. But There Is Only So Much I Can Help, The Rest Must Be You And The Child. _

Tallon curled on her side and slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wild chapter appears! Looks like we're heading into the more...wild route as well, hm? Secrets soon to be revealed, readers! See you next chapter!  
> Questions, Comments, Concerns? Just want to chat? Post below and I'll do my best to reply,  
> -JM


	30. Where Past And Present Meet

There is an echo of laughter that fills the fills the Golden Hall. The locket is warm against Tallon’s chest, a nice contrast to the cold floor at her back. She wonders how long she was out, what woke her up, what happened to make her faint…

She remembered Frisk, their eyes red with bloodlust, reaching for the locket and a sudden bright light, a searing pain, then endless darkness. The hall was still filled with light, though it no longer touched the floor. The laughter came again, more vicious now, and Tallon finally rose to her feet. She needed to run, to get far away from that kid, from this hall, from the litter of dust across her shirt-

Tallon choked back a sob when the memories of before came back, the fight, her friend...she needed to flee before she met the same fate.  _ Maybe...maybe I can find the survivors, or at least their escape route? But...the underground is so big, where do I even start… _

She absentmindedly began to fiddle with the locket. It was warm in her hand. It throbbed, almost like a heartbeat. Tallon was mystified by the sensation until a loud, pained grunt came from somewhere ahead.  _ Where ever I’m going, I need to decide now. _

She ran.

* * *

 

The RiverPerson is still sitting at Hotlands. She jumps onto the boat before asking and tells them to take her away, anywhere they desire just not here. As the boat begins to move swiftly through the water she finally relaxes. 

“So why haven’t you evacuated yet?”

“Tra la la~ I have no reason to evacuate. All will be right eventually. Where would you like to go?”

“Anywhere that might be safe.”

The monster is silent a moment. Their face is obscured by the hood and yet Tallon could feel their gaze fall on the locket. “I believe I know where you must go.”

She doesn’t know how to feel about their lack of humming now.

* * *

 

They drop her off in Snowdin, but suggests she makes her way to Waterfall, citing that the twists and turns are always confusing, even for those who frequent them, and so she will find what she needs before she is found. 

“Thank you. Please, please go find somewhere safe, somewhere far away from here so they don’t get you too.”

“Tra la la, I wait for those who need me.”

If it were normal circumstances, Tallon would’ve felt moved by their words, by their resolve. But these were not normal circumstances, and she felt tears beginning to fall down her cheeks, “What if those who need you are dead, or have already left the underground?”

She couldn’t see under their hood, but she knew they were smiling. “The waters are wild today, that’s good luck…” waved her away then, settling back on their boat with a content sigh. 

Tallon hesitated only a moment more before running off.

* * *

 

The once lively town is quiet, so quiet, and she is reminded of when Sans sent her here only hours before. She ran then, too. She made it to Waterfall in a matter of minutes, her feet carrying her wherever they wished, so long as it wasn’t towards the child. Tallon closed her eyes as she passed the Sentry station, not wanting to be reminded of her fallen friend. 

She didn’t stop to jump across the water, deciding that she’d rather have wet shoes than take the extra effort to keep them dry. Tallon does her best to weave through the tall grass without tangling but almost loses a shoe in the process. She takes a moment to breathe, to untangle her shoe from the grass and put it back on her foot. 

There was an echo of a sound, a voice maybe, that came from ahead. It wasn’t the child’s, but it still filled Tallon with a sense of unease. The whisper eventually reaches her,  _ You Are Almost There, Keep Running. _

She does not know the voice and yet she follows. It guides her along the hallways, encourages her as she runs. She jumps when it asks, and does not get tangled in the other patch of tall grass with its help. 

There is a gray door on the hall wall, and when her eyes fall on it, she feels the locket pulse with excitement. Tallon touched it, comforted by its warmth, and opened the door. 

Inside was dark, the walls black rather than the purple of the cave. The floor was gray, and Tallon’s footsteps did not echo as they had on the stone. The air was still, but she was not afraid, or uncomfortable. As she stepped through, it felt as though she was being enveloped in a hug, or as if she were passing through something, like water or-

“A Magic Barrier, Perhaps?”

The voice was louder here, but it did not echo. She looked around for the source, hardly noticing the door close and dissolve behind her. The room is empty, save for a single form standing before her. “Hello?” Tallon calls, stepping further into the room, “Are you the one who led me here?”

The figure was shrouded in black, only his face and hands bright white and visible. His face was...broken, deformed. Similar to Sans, his grin could not move. He moved his hands as he spoke, “To This Room, To The Underground, To Your Future. All Of This And More Is My Doing.”

“Why did you lead me here,” Tallon asked, “and what do you mean you led me to the underground?”

“I Have Quite A Long Story To Tell And Very Little Time To Tell It, So I Will Explain As Briefly As Possible, And One Day You Will Understand.”

“What? What does that mean?” 

“It Means You Will Listen Now And Process It Later.” The form flickered, glitched, and a sound filled the room that Tallon could only describe as the blue screen of death. She curled around herself, hands covering her ears to no avail. It stopped a few moments later, but the persistent ringing echoed for a few seconds longer. The figure waits, his hands folded in front of him. 

“If You Are Ready?”

“I…” Tallon slowly straightened up, uncovering her ears. “Yeah. I’m good, but first…” she waved towards the monster, “can you tell me who you are?”

He tilts his head forward, his frozen smile widening, “I Am Doctor Wing Ding Aster, Dr. Gaster For Short. I Am A Mere, How Do Humans Put It? A Shell Of My Former Self. I Was The Previous Royal Scientist, The One Who Created The Core, The One Who Started The Determination Experiments.”

“The wha-”

He held up a hand, “No Questions If You Can Help It, Just Give Me A Moment To Explain. I Conducted A Series Of Experiments Which Involved Extracting What I Call ‘Determination’ From Humans, And Inject It Into Monsters. I Was Trying To Find A Way To Allow A Monster’s Body To Survive An Attack From A Human. As I’m Sure You’ve Gathered, A Monster’s Body Is Much Weaker Than That Of A Human, And This Is Why We Lost The War So Many Years Ago.”

Tallon could see it now, the figure before her hunching over a dark blue SOUL, extracting a red liquid from it. He had a white lab coat on, and glasses on his unscarred face. He turned, checking the syringe for bubbles or any other anomalies. A monster is laying on a table, sweat running down its face. Dr. Gaster slowly injects the red liquid into the monster and stepped back. The monster’s breathing became slow, easy, and it smiled briefly before it’s body began to shake, shiver, turn to dust…

“Sadly, The Experiments Didn’t Work, And The Monsters Who Survived Past Initial Injection, Well...You’ll See Them Eventually. Poor Alphys…”

“You know Alphys?”

The Gaster before her, broken, bent, nodded. “She Was One Of My Assistants. I Had A Team, Two Technically. One For The DT Project And Another For The Core. Alphys Was My Right Hand Who Focused On The DT, Sans My Left. He Helped Me With The Building Of The Core, But Refused To Have Any Part Of The Experiments. I Only Got Alphys On Board Because She Was Doing Something Similar, Building A Robot Body That A Ghost Monster Could Control.”

There is a team of scientists flittering around a dark lab. She could see Alphys curled over some papers, scribbling furiously over some notes. A familiar figure slipped was leaning against the doorway, his frozen smile almost…disappointed. He shook his head and stepped into the elevator behind him, a stack of papers in his hand. A sigh came from the scientist she stood beside, long and deep and sorrowful.

“I Had Many Others Working On Both Projects, But Some, Who Only Worked On The Core, Despised The Idea Of The DT Project. They Believed It Unethical. One Of Them Became Brave Enough To Confront Me About It, And Then Argue, And In The Heat Of The Moment, Kill Me Over It. They Pushed Me Into The Very Core I Created. I Tried To Teleport Away, But I Had Already Begun To Dust, And So I Was Scattered Across Time And Space. Several Of My Assistants Soon Faded As Well, And I Became A Vague Memory To Most. All Because Someone Didn’t Like My Methods.”

Tallon watched as a small gray monster yelled at Gaster, waving his hands around. When Gaster attempted to respond, the monster lashed out in anger and he fell off the edge of the Core.

“And I Am Now Inclined To Agree, But Back Then? It Was My Life. I Was A Very Driven Monster, Fueled By Curiosity, By Greed. I Wanted To Be The Monster To Save Us All, And Instead I Created A Monster That Would Kill Us All Over And Over Again.”

“I...I don’t understand.”

“One Test Subject Not Only Survived, But Thrived Once Determination Was Injected Into Him. I Believe You’ve Met Him, Goes By Flowey?”

An image of the smiling flower flashed in her mind, and she shuttered. 

Gaster nodded at her reaction. “I Did Not Find Out Until Later That He Was A...Special Case. A Normal Flower That Had Been Tainted By Blood And Dust. He Was Given Powers With The DT, Powers That Could Stop And Start Time, Could Bend It To His Will. This Power Follows The SOUL Most Filled With Determination.” Gaster’s hands paused for a moment, and his whole figure flickered but the sound earlier did not follow. He raised a hand and pointed at the locket. He lowered it again, and continued. “The SOUL Which Resides In That Locket Belongs To The One Whose Blood Tainted The Flower.”

Her hand touched it instinctively. It was still warm, still beating.

“Now Then, What I Need From You…” Gaster’s smile twitched, as if he were trying to make it seem more genuine, “Is The Locket And Your SOUL. As I Have Been Spread Through Time And Space, I Am Able To Send You Back To The Beginning Of All This, And From There You Can Put An End To All This.”

Tallon did not hesitate at the thought of setting everything right, “What do I have to do.”

“I Will Ask You Once, Are You Sure You Wish To Do This? I Have The Power To Send You Home, To Erase All Of This From Your Mind And Allow You To Live A Normal Life.”

Tallon shook her head, I want...no, I  _ need _ to save everyone. I can feel it…”

Gaster watches her for a moment and holds up a hand, she feels something encircle her; it reaches in, caresses, pulls…

Before her is a purple SOUL. She feels light, but not weak. Gaster touches a finger to the locket, releasing a smaller red SOUL. They hover a few inches above his damaged hands and, as he brought them together, they merge into one. The SOUL reenters her body once he was through. Gaster uses a third hand and brings out a small grey SOUL from his chest. It is upside down. He sets it in the locket, closing it back. 

“You Will Know What To Do Once The Time Is Right.”

Tallon feels light headed, but heavy in body. 

“Soon Your Body Will Adjust To The Presence Of Two SOULs. For Now,” A familiar light began to shine behind him, and although Tallon’s eyes began to blur, she knew it was a portal. “For Now You May Rest, And When You Wake...You Will Be In A Different Time, A Better Time. I’ll Be There To Guide You, So Long As You Have That SOUL With You.” 

“I-” Tallon wasn’t sure what she wanted to ask. She swayed, and felt a hand or three catch her. 

“Rest.”

She felt herself slip into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Short Chapter, but filled with many answers. Glad I could finally work on it, I haven't had a lot of energy for stuff recently, but once I started I was able to finish it.   
> Any questions, comments, concerns? Just wanna chat? Comment Below, and I'll get back to you soon,  
> -JM


	31. A Lost Soul Appears Before You

Tallon was in that middle space again. Everywhere she looked was  _ dark _ . As she stared, the room seemed to get impossibly darker. It became  darker still ,  _ The Darkness Kept Growing, The Shadows Cutting Deeper _ -

“Gaster.”

She felt her feet touch solid ground, and a figure materialized before her. He looked more like before, in the vision, not her past. His coat was white again, though his face was still cracked. 

_ Hello, Tallon. _

“You really did follow me this round, didn’t you?”

_ I Helped As Much As I Could Without Disrupting The Narrative.  _

Tallon nodded. “Can you tell me more then, before I wake up?”

_ Now That You Know All That You Know, I’ll Allow For Questions And Answer What I Can. But We Don’t Have Long Here. Someone Is Coming, And Soon The End Shall Follow. _

She took a minute to organize her thoughts before asking cautiously, “You said you knew Alphys, and even Sans, that they worked for you. Do...do they remember you?”

Gaster nodded slightly and sighed.  _ Alphys Was Left With The Guilt But Only A Vague Memory Of The Previous Royal Scientist That Started The DT Project. She Still Had Some Of My Notes, But They Were Incomplete And She Stopped The Project. _

That image of before, of Sans slipping away with a stack of papers, came to mind. “Sans took them, didn’t he? Did he know you were going to die?”

_ He Knew How Strongly Some Of The Staff Disliked The Project. I’m Sure He Heard Some Rumors And Took A Few...Precautions That The Project Would End Should Anything Happen To Me. He Stashed Away The Rest Of My Notes In His Lab, The One You Found.  _

_ But To Answer Your First Question, Yes Sans Did Remember Me After My Fall. After The Accident, I Found That If I Concentrated Very Hard...I Could Gather Enough Of My Essence Into One Time And Space And Transmit Thoughts To Those I Had A Connection With. I First Tried With Alphys, To Ease The Guilt, To Up Her Confidence, But She Jumped At Shadows And So I Turned To Sans For Help. He Was Able To Build That Machine That You Saw, But We Could Not Complete It And So He Gave Up On Trying To Bring Me Back.  _

Tallon thought of all the dust she’d seen in the lab. He’d given up on the place entirely. “So you’re trapped like this,” she waved towards his flickering figure.

_ Perhaps Not For Much Longer. _

_ The locket… _

Tallon reached up and felt a cold heart shaped locket against her shirt. It was the one Frisk had claimed earlier. “How-”

_ I Held Onto The Locket Until Your Memories Returned, Thus Guarding Your SOUL And Its Passenger From Harm. Now That You Have Reached The End, You Will Need Them Back. _

Tallon can hear her name echoing in the darkness, feel something touch her arm. Gaster flickered for a moment and mirrored his other self, the haunched black mass that she’d met before. “I guess it’s time to wake up. Will you still be here?”

Gaster was smiling, but it was false, much like Sans.  _ For Once, Even I Don’t Know What Will Happen. Everything Rides On You, Tallon. You Will Know What To Do When The Time Comes, Should I Not Be There To Guide You. _

It was a sweet voice calling her, a familiar one. She felt tears well in her eyes as the figure before her faded.

* * *

 

“-on...Tallon...please wake up, my child.”

Tallon sat up with a jolt and felt large, warm arms curl around her. There were tears on her cheek, though they were not her own. “T...Toriel?” She inhaled the scent of home, of warmth, of butterscotch and cinnamon pie.

“I’m here, my child. I’m so glad you’re safe.”

Tallon pulled back to look up at the motherly monster. She wanted to ask about her, about what she did while they were gone, about why she was there. An empty bed caught her eye. “Frisk.”

“Already gone, but I didn’t want to follow without waking you.”

“We have to stop them. I...I have to help.”

Toriel laughed but let her go, standing to get out of her way. “We will, my child.”

Tallon grabbed her bag and followed Toriel down a familiar staircase.

* * *

 

Tallon followed only a few steps behind Toriel, down long hallways and a throne room full of flowers. There was a distant hum, a rumble of a voice, a song that was full of sadness and pain. 

“Human...it was nice to  meet you..goodbye.”

Tori formed a ball of fire in her palm and threw it into the next room, knocking over the King. Tallon followed, making a beeline for Frisk. As Toriel confronted King Asgore on his behavior, she gave the kid a quick lookover and then a hug. 

“Thought we were in this together, kid?”

They looked up at her with big eyes, “I…” They looked away, down at the golden locket that was around her neck, “I thought I could do it alone…”

“I know you usually do but this time is different. I’m here for you, Frisk.”

They’re crying in her arms by the time Toriel has turned her attention to her children. “It is alright, my child. At first, I thought I would let you make your journey alone...but I couldn’t stop worrying about you. Your adventure must have been so treacherous...and ultimately, it would burden you with a horrible choice. To leave this place, you would have to take the life of another person.”

Tallon held up a hand, “well technically-”

A distant battle cry interrupted her before Undyne burst into the room. “Ngahhhhhh!!! Asgore! Humans!! Nobody fight each other!!! Everyone’s gonna make friends, or else I’ll..!!” She seemed to finally process what has happening. “I’ll…” Undyne stared at the queen with an open mouth.

“Hello. I am Toriel. Are you a friend of theirs? It is nice to meet you.” Toriel gave her a warm smile.

Undyne shook her head and smiled wide, saying, “Uh, yeah..? Nice to meet you!” before slipping to the king’s side. She whispered into his ear and he pouted.

The scuffle of claws announced Alphys as she stuttered “H-hey! Nobody hurt each other!!” She looked around at the other monsters now gathered around the humans, confused.

“Oh! Are you another friend? I am Toriel, hello!”

“Uh, h-h-hi!” She gave the queen a confused look before spotting Undyne and scuffling to her side.

“HEY! NOBODY FIGHT ANYONE!” came a familiar yell. Papyrus came bounding through the doorway. “IF ANYONE FIGHTS ANYONE..! THEN I’LL!!! BE FORCED!!! TO ASK UNDYNE FOR HELP!!!” Papyrus stood proudly, winking at nobody.

Tallon sighed, knowing it would be awhile before she would be allowed to talk.

Toriel greeted the skeleton and Frisk giggled at his confusion. It would seem no one actually knew what Toriel had looked like, just that the queen had been living in the Ruins. Papyrus, however didn’t even seem to understand that the queen had existed at all.

Tallon was laughing along until a soft voice crept up behind her. “hey guys…what’s up?”

“Sans!”

She let the child go long enough to throw her hands around her friend’s neck.

“That voice…”

Tallon looked back to see Toriel crossing the room, her eyes wide. “Hello, I think we may know each other?”

“hm? Oh hey...i recognize your voice too.”

Frisk tugged at the goat mother’s sleeve. “Tori! Tori!”

“Yes, my child?” 

“This is Sans and Papyrus! They helped us out!” Frisk waved her lower and tried to whisper, “Tallon seems to like Sans a lot.”

Tallon was about to denounce the claim when Toriel switched her focus to the brother, “your brother has told me so much about you.”

Papyrus blushed, “WOWIE...I CAN’T BELIEVE ASGORE’S CLONE KNOWS WHO I AM!!! THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!!!!!”

Tori glanced at Sans, a glint in her eye, “Hey Papyrus, what does a skeleton tile his roof with?”

He thought about it for a moment, “SNOW-PROOF ROOF TILES???”

“No, silly! A skeleton tiles his roof with...SHIN-gles!!!”

Papyrus huffed in annoyance, “I CHANGED MY MIND!!! THIS IS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!”

Asgore seemed disheartened at Toriel’s kindness towards everyone but him. Undyne made an attempt to cheer him up that only led to her and Alphys flirting with each other again. 

Mettatton announced his presence with an “OH MY GOD! WILL YOU TWO JUST SMOOCH ALREADY!? THE AUDIENCE IS DYING FOR SOME ROMANTIC ACTION!!!”

While everyone was focusing on stopping the two from making out, Tallon finally realized she still had an arm around Sans’ neck. She let him go, blushing. “Hey, Sans?”

He looked away from the group, giving her a small "hmm?"

“After all this is over, I have something to give you.”

He gave her a puzzled look but nodded. Sans looked like he was about to ask about it when Toriel called everyone’s attention to Frisk. “Children, it seems as if you must stay here for a while, but looking at all the great friends you have made...I think...I think you will be happy here.”

Frisk looked as if they were about to cry. “Awe, c’mere kid!” Tallon pulled them back into her arms and ruffled their hair. They were laughing until Alphys called their attention to Papyrus.

“H-hey, that reminds me. Papryus...YOU called everyone here, right? Well, besides, uh, her.” She waved a hand at the queen. “Uh, anyway...if I got here before you...how did you know to call everybody?”

Papyrus looked around and mock whispered, “LET’S JUST SAY...A TINY FLOWER HELPED ME.”

Sans’ eyes went dark. Alphys began to sweat. Frisk turned to Tallon, their face pale, their eyes wide. She’d forgotten for just a moment that this wasn’t over.

Vines shot past the humans and began wrapping around the monsters, squeezing them tightly. “Sans!” Frisk held Tallon back when she tried to dart to his aid, keeping her away from the thorned vines. “Sans, your health!”

He laughed quietly, “‘m alright, kid.”

A dark laugh filled the room and the flower in question popped out of the floor. “You IDIOTS. While you guys were having your little pow-wow...I took the human SOULS! And now, not only are THOSE under my power...but all of your FRIENDS’ SOULS are gonna be mine, too!” He giggled.“And you know what the best part is? It’s all your fault. It’s all because you MADE THEM love you. All the time you spent listening to them...encouraging them...caring about them...without that, they wouldn’t have come here. Now, with their SOULs and the humans’ together...I will achieve my REAL FORM.”

Tallon felt the locket heat up against her chest. “Why are you still doing this, flowey? We can help you!”

“Huh? Don’t you get it? This is all just a GAME. I’m bored! I want you trapped here with me until I’m bored of you too. And then I’ll KILL you.” Flowey smiled, “But listen, if you DO defeat me, I’ll let you have your ‘happy ending.’ I’ll bring your friends back. I’ll destroy the barrier. Everyone will finally be satisfied.”

“Sound’s go-”

“But that WON’T happen,” Flowey interrupted. “I’ll keep you here no matter what!” He dove under the ground before popping up closer. Frisk’s SOUL was yanked out of their body and they were surrounded by pellets. “Even if it means killing you 1,000,000 times!!!”

Even if her SOUL wasn’t exposed, Tallon had a feeling she could still be injured during a fight. Still, she curled her body around Frisk and their little red SOUL, hoping she could help in some way. 

The pellets crashed around them, leaving cuts on Tallon’s exposed skin, damaging the SOUL they were both huddled around. Frisk began to look ill. 

Tallon was preparing to reveal what she had when a ring of flames surrounded them, fending off the projectiles. 

The humans looked towards the bound monsters. Toriel was smiling, even though she was in pain. “Do not be afraid my child…” she peaked at them through one eye, “no matter what happens…” she grunted as the vines tightened for a moment, but gave them that encouraging smile again, her eyes full of love, “we will always be there to protect you!”

Flowey growled in frustration and sent another volley of pellets, only for a bone and spear to knock them off course. 

“THAT’S RIGHT, HUMAN! YOU CAN WIN!!” Papyrus grunted, “JUST DO WHAT I WOULD DO...BELIEVE IN YOU!!!”

Tallon felt tears on  her cheek, “Papyrus…”

“Hey! Human! If you got past ME, you can do ANYTHING!” Undyne let out a pained laugh, a big smile plastered on her face. “So don’t worry! We’re with you all the way!”

Sans let out a strained chuckle, “huh? you haven’t beaten this guy yet? come on, this weirdo’s got nothin’ on you.” 

Frisk giggled, wiping their tears away on their sleeve. More pellets were blocked by bolts of electricity and fire. “Technically, it’s impossible for you to beat him…” Alphys squeaked, “b-but...somehow, I know you can do it!!”

A deep rumbling voice followed, “For the future of humans and monsters..!” the monster king strained, “You have to stay determined..!”

Many of the other monsters began filling the throne room, chanting words of encouragement. Frisk was healed by their love. 

“Urrrgh...no!” Flowey squirmed around, looking at all the monsters around them. Tallon had a bad feeling in her gut. 

“Unbelievable!! This can’t be happening..! You...YOU..!” He stopped moving, turning slowly to look at the humans. A grin slowly spread across his face. “I can’t believe you’re all so STUPID.” The room began to shake, vines whipped back and forth, grabbing monsters left and right. “ALL OF YOUR SOULS ARE MINE!!!”

The room was filled with a white light. Tallon forced Frisk’s SOUL into their chest and curled around them, shielding them as best she could from whatever was happening. She ignored the screams and the faint smell of dust.

There was a long silence but she didn’t move. A familiar voice caused her to open her eyes. “Finally. I was so tired of being a flower.”

A small goat monster stood before them,  _ the voice could only belong to- _

“It can’t be.” Tallon stood up but kept her hands around Frisk. 

“Howdy! Chara, are you there? It’s me,  your best friend…” There was another flash of light and the child grew. “Asriel Dreemurr.”

It’s the end. The true final battle was finally beginning.

Frisk gave Tallon a reassuring pat on the arm before untangling from her grasp. Their SOUL was pulled forward, and they were ready.

“I’ll...I’ll find a way to get you help, kid. Just try not to die.”

* * *

 

Asriel was practically a god now, virtually untouchable. Frisk was doing their best to keep up with his attacks, but they were only a child. 

Tallon kept a wide berth from the center of the room where the two fought. She was out of the way of most of his attacks, though a stray fire ball or star would cause her to duck and roll out of the way. She kept her eyes on the floating monster, looking away only when Frisk asked for an item from their bag. Asriel’s power seemed to come from the SOULs he’d gathered from around the underground. 

“After I defeat you and gain total control over the timeline...I just want to reset everything.” Asriel laughed, full throated and menacing. “All your progress...everyone’s memories. I’ll bring them all back to zero! Then we can do everything ALL over again.” 

Something about that gave Tallon an idea.  _ Everyone’s memories… _

“And you know what the best part of all this is? You’ll DO it.” 

Tallon threw herself towards Frisk, knocking them out of the way of a beam similar to what she’d seen from Sans’ fight. She was angry now.

Asriel was still talking. “And then you’ll lose to me again. And again.” Another beam. Tallon pulled Frisk behind her and was grazed on the arm. Frisk was panicking now. Their SOUL could heal from these wounds, her body could not. 

Tallon didn’t care. She waited for a break in Asriel’s monologue. 

“And again!!!” He refocused his energy on Frisk’s SOUL which floated in front of the humans. Tallon helped guide Frisk out of harm's way. “Because you want a ‘happy ending.’ Because you ‘love your friends.’”

Tallon wasn’t fast enough. Frisk’s SOUL was shattered before her eyes by a stray star. She felt their name get caught in her throat.

The child stood in front of her, their face determined. The SOUL refused to die. It began to stitch itself back together until it was whole again.

The humans swapped smiles, suddenly more sure than ever that they could get through this. Asriel cried out in frustration, sending another voly of lightning struck the floor around them. Tallon focused on the patterns, directing Frisk on where to step in order to stay safe. 

“Isn’t it delicious? Your ‘determination.’ The power that let you get this far...it’s gonna be your downfall!” Asriel manages to separate the humans with his next attack. He laughed, “Now, ENOUGH messing around! It’s time to purge this timeline once and for all!”

Tallon felt a growing fear as a large, skeletal head materialized in front of Frisk. It was the same shape as that machine in the secret lab…

It laughed along with Asriel before taking aim. It drew everything in like a black hole. Frisk stood their ground, their fists tight against their side, their face set in stone. Tallon was so proud of her little hero, her heart reaching out to them.

The skull dissolved and Asriel frowned. “...even after that attack, you’re still standing in my way..? Wow...you really ARE something special. But don’t get cocky. Up until now, I’ve only been using a fraction of my REAL power! Let’s see what your DETERMINATION is against THIS!”

Asriel’s form began to shift and reform. The gravity of the room intensified. The humans couldn’t move. The prince of the underground laughed, dark and full of malice. “Behold my TRUE power!”

Frisk was so in awe by Asriel’s new form they forgot to dodge the next attack. The shooting stars ripped through their SOUL and the child’s shoulders slumped. 

“Frisk!”

“I...I’m okay.” They straightened again and their SOUL stitched back together. 

Asriel smiled, “I can feel it...every time you die, your grip on this world slips away. Every time you die, your friends forget you a little more. Your life will end here, in a world where no one remembers you.”

Frisk was ready this time, shifting their SOUL around in order to dodge. Asriel mocked them, “Still, you’re hanging on..? That’s fine. In a few moments you’ll forget everything too. That attitude will serve you well in your next life!”

Tallon was trapped behind Asriel, unable to move. She watched as Frisk moved their SOUL through sheer force of DETERMINATION and wished she could help. She tried to reach out to them, to send them love or encouragements...to send them hope. She felt something reach back. It felt...familiar. Tallon reached out to Asriel’s SOUL and felt for their friends.  _ They’re in there somewhere, aren’t they?  _

There was a rapid beating sound coming from her locket as she found that familiar SOUL deep within Asriel’s. The battle before her froze in place, Frisk with an arm up, blocking their eyes from the bright beam of Asriel’s next attack. 

A Lost Soul stood before her, her body glitching out of existence as Gaster’s had been. Tallon felt tears build in her eyes as she stared at Undyne.  _ All I have to do is jog everyone’s memories, yeah? _ She gave the monster a light tap on the arm.

Undyne hesitated, as if remembering something. She shook her head and yelled, “All humans will die!” A round of arrows began closing in on all sides. Tallon lifted her arm as a shield and a barrier formed in front of her, just as it had Frisk when they’d fought Undyne.

Once she’d taken care of the arrows, Tallon clashed against her with all her might. Undyne almost smiles at her fighting spirit. Almost.

“You’re our real enemy.”

As more arrows flew towards her, Tallon remembered the failed cooking lesson. “Hey Undyne, do you have any more recipes to teach me?”

That seemed to do the trick. The arrows froze in place around her. Undyne’s body became more solid, clear. She smiled a toothy grin. “Well, some humans are OK, I guess!” Undyne takes a stand behind Frisk. 

Tallon felt a sense of relief. She could do this...she  **had** to do this. For Frisk, for the underground...for Asriel. She reached out again, more sure of herself, and felt something resonating.

Alphys, her eyes downcast and hands tangling together, appeared before her. Tallon smiles warmly at the monster, “It’s alright, Dr. Alphys. I’ll continue to support you.”

The doctor’s gaze flicked up for a moment before falling back to the ground, “You hate me...don’t you?”

Tallon pulled the phone out of her pocket, pressing the yellow button just in time to take out most of Alphys’ attacks. She mentioned needing help on a quiz question when the danger seemed to pass. Alphys opens her mouth, the answer posed on the tip of her tongue…

She snapped it shut and mumbled, “I’ve got to keep lying…” before launching another attack.

“Hey, Alphys! What’s your favorite cartoon?”

The light returned to the doctor's eyes and she smiled. “No, that’s not true! My friends like me! And I like them, too!”

“That’s my girl!” Tallon called, watching the monster stride confidently to join Frisk.

Again, she reached. Finding two SOULs intertwined. Asriel’s parents stood before her, their faces blank and their bodies flickering. Tallon launches herself at Toriel, promising that she’ll see her again soon. That brought a small smile to the monsters lips before it fell again. She had just enough time to step aside before the Lost Souls attacked.

“This is for your own good.”

“Forgive me for this.”

Tallon lept through rings of fire. She suddenly thought of cinnamon. “Tori, I think I like cinnamon instead of butterscotch.”

Her head tilts, curious, but her expression does not change.

“No one will leave again.”

“This is my duty.”

The two monsters waved their hands and rows of fireballs began speeding towards Tallon. She ducked and swayed in order to dodge them. When there is a lull she yells, “I have to go if I’m going to free everyone!”

That snapped the motherly figure out of it. At the sound of freedom, Asgore tilted his head. They both began to smile, first at each other, then the human before them.

“Your fate is up to you now!”

“You are our future!”

The proud parents stood across their wayward son, each resting a hand on Frisk’s shoulders. 

All that’s left is…

Two Lost Souls appeared, one standing tall, his pose screaming confidence but his eyes seemed weary and...almost fearful. The other slouching as if gravity was affecting him as it had been affecting her earlier, his permanent smile tense. 

Tallon felt tears rolling down her cheek at the sight of her two favorite skeletons looking so lost, so helpless. “Hey! I got a  _ bone _ to pick with you two!”

She could faintly hear Sans chuckle, though it was more despondent than usual. Papyrus frowned. 

“I MUST CAPTURE A HUMAN!”

“just give up. i did.”

Tallon froze, almost getting hit by the first few bones that flew at her. She’d known Sans was having a hard time, but had he just...given up before they’d come along? She shook her head clear and tried to focus on the task of jogging their memory. She asked Papyrus if he’d help her with a puzzle.

Papyrus begins to nod vigorously before he catches himself, his face confused.

“THEN EVERYONE WILL LOVE ME!”

“why even try?”

Tallon was ready now, jumping over the bones she could and weaving around the ones she couldn’t. “Papyrus, Undyne’s going to show me a new recipe, wanna help us make it?”

He paused to think the question over, too lost in thought to attack. Sans stood there, his eyes blank.

“you’ll never see ‘em again.”

She watched him with sad eyes, “Sans...”

The pain in her voice seemed to break through his lethargy. The brothers shook their skulls and smiled at the human before them.

“NO! WAIT!! YOU’RE MY FRIEND! I COULD NEVER CAPTURE YOU!!”

“i’m rootin for ya, kid.”

“I’m still not a kid, Sans,” Tallon scolded him playfully. He winked before following his brother to stand by Frisk. 

As they gather around the Fallen Child, Tallon felt one something reaching towards her, growing stronger and stronger. Each of their friends turned to look at her, as if they were expecting something.

_ There’s one last person that needs to be saved, _ she realized.

“Asriel.”

The monster paused in his attack, “Huh?” He whipped around to face her, “What are you doing..!?”

Tallon pulled her own SOUL out of her body with ease. Images began flashing in her mind:

A fallen child, so similar to Frisk, laying on the ground.

A nearby monster offering them help.

A growing family.

She felt the pull towards Asriel coming from the second SOUL, the one Gaster had hidden within her own. Tallon slowly pulled them apart, as if she’d done it a million times before. The small, red SOUL hovered before her, as if waiting for something.

“Wh...what did you do..?” Tears began to pour from his eyes, “What’s this feeling..? What’s happening to me?”

“Something that should have happened long ago, Asriel. I brought them back to you. You can be whole again.”

“No! NO! I don’t need ANYONE!”

His attack was now directed at her, but it did nothing as the red SOUL defended her. Her own SOUL returned to her chest unharmed. Tallon took a step closer to the prince, to her friends. 

“STOP IT! Get away from me! Do you hear me!? I’ll tear you apart!”

She ignored the sting whenever an attack brushed against her skin. Her defender kept the worse of the attack at bay. Tallon focused on crossing the room.

Asriel glanced back at Frisk. “...Chara...do you know why I’m doing this..? Why I keep fighting to keep you around..?” 

Frisk shook their head. 

“I’m doing this...because you’re special, Chara. You’re the only one that understands me. You’re the only one who’s any fun to play with anymore.”

Tallon was at Frisk’s side. They took her hand, their eyes glancing at the red SOUL beside her for only a moment before turning back to the prince.

Asriel was quiet for a moment before he sighed. “No...that’s not JUST it. I...I...I’m doing this because I care about you, Chara! I care about you more than anybody else!” His eyes were closed, his voice quiet, “I’m not ready for this to end. I’m not ready for you to leave. I’m not ready to say goodbye to someone like you again...” He took in a shuddering breath and began wailing, tears streaming down his cheeks, “So, please...STOP doing this...AND JUST LET ME WIN!!!”

The humans stood calmly as a beam of light washed over them. The SOUL positioned itself in front of Frisk’s, defending them both. 

“STOP IT!! STOP IT NOW!!!”

The SOUL did not shatter. Asriel’s shoulders slumped in defeat. Tallon stepped forward, letting go of Frisk’s hand in favor of placing a hand on both of the red SOULs. “It’s time to end this, don’t you think, Chara?”

The two SOULs danced around her before one returned to Frisk. The other, the one that had been in the locket, took shape beside her. The first fallen child glanced around the room before their eyes focused on Asriel. “I told you before, that form looks ridiculous. Why, of all names, did you decide on ‘the absolute GOD of Hyperdeath?’”

Asriel froze at the sight, his eyes flickering between Frisk and Chara. The resemblance was there, but Chara’s hair was lighter, taimer, their eyes a bright red where Frisk’s were brown. Asriel’s shape began to shimmer again, before settling on his original form: a scared little boy.

A Lost Soul.

Asriel rushed forward, his arms linking around the Chara’s neck. “...Chara…I’ve been so alone, Chara...I’m so afraid, Chara...” he mumbled between gasping tears, “Chara I...I...I’m so sorry.”

“You always were a crybaby, Assie.” Chara wrapped their arms around the sobbing boy, a gentle smile on their face. “I guess it’s kinda my fault. I wasn’t the nicest kid...but I’m different now, I’ve changed. After taking my rage out on everyone I found the world to be...empty. I decided to fix things this time around, and that means helping you too.”

Chara stepped back, their hand outstretched. “Let’s free everyone, just like we’ve always wanted...together.”

Asriel nodded, wiping the tears from his face before taking the offered hand. He turned to Frisk. “Um...I’m sorry I’ve been confusing you with Chara...well...what IS your name, then?”

“Frisk.”

“Frisk? That’s...a nice name.” Ariel smiled and turned to Tallon, “And you?”

“Tallon.”

“Thank you, Tallon...for bringing them here. I haven’t felt like this for a long time.” Asriel paused. Chara encouraged him to continue with a squeeze of their hand. “As a flower, I was soulless. I lacked the power to love other people. However, with everyone’s souls inside me...I not only have my own compassion back, but I can feel every other monsters as well. They all care about each other so much. And…” Asriel smiled, “they care about you guys too. I wish I could tell you how everyone feels about you. Alphys...Undyne...Papyrus...Sans…” Asriel glanced at Tallon before averting his eyes. “Even Toriel. Monsters are weird. Even though they barely know you...it feels like they all really love you.” Asriel laughed.

“Frisk...Tallon...I...I understand if you can’t forgive me. I understand if you hate me. I acted so strange and horrible. I hurt you. I hurt so many people. Friends, family, bystanders…there’s no excuse for what I’ve done.”

The humans didn’t hesitate in throwing their arms around the monster. Chara stepped to the side, their eyes shining with unshed tears at the sight. 

“Wh...what? Guys...c’mon...you’re...you’re gonna make me cry again...”

Tallon looked over the boy’s head at his oldest friend, waving her arms for them to come closer. She pulled Chara into the group hug, squeezing all of the children as tightly as she could. 

“...even if you do forgive me,” Asriel whispered to them, his voice sad, “I can’t keep these souls inside of me. The least I can do is return them…” He stepped away from the group, “But first…” He turned, grabbing Chara’s hand with a determined face. “There’s something we have to do. Right now, I can feel everyone’s hearts beating as one. They’re all burning with the same desire. With everyone’s power...with everyone’s determination...it’s time for monsters…”

“It’s time for  _ everyone _ to be freed.” Chara finished with a nod. The two children focused all of their energy at the barrier, a bright light surrounded them, slowly filling the room.

The barrier was destroyed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, long time no read! I've been scrambling to get my dragoncon (2017) costumes together and last week I moved back on campus. I have a few days free during the week where I plan on finish homework and then writing, so I hope to wrap this story up in a few more chapters. Until next time any Questions, Comments, or Chit Chat can be directed towards the comment box and will be answered as soon as I have time,  
> JM


	32. Sundrops and Tearshine

“I have to go now.” Chara’s figure began to flicker in the light, their SOUL becoming more solid. They could not hold this form much longer. “And when I return, I want you to have it.” They held out their hand, the small, red SOUL followed the motion.

Asriel teared up. “I-I…” 

“You big crybaby, c’mere.” 

The two threw their arms around each other in a tight hug, each squeezing as though that would let their forms stay longer.

Tallon smiled down at Frisk, their face wet with tears. She wiped gently at their face with her hand, giving their cheek a gentle pat of encouragement. They watched as the SOUL began to flash, drawing in Chara’s form. The child whispered something in Asriel’s ear before fading from existence.

The child prince stood there, his face contorted in an effort to stop his tears. He held the SOUL close to his chest, a final hug, before whispering, “thank you” and absorbing it. He turned to the Humans. “Thank you both for this…” his hand was still resting on his chest, “I...I’ll do my best to redeem myself for all I’ve done.”

Frisk moved to hug him, but he held up his hand. “First, let me free the SOULs I trapped. I might become Flowey again but...it will be worth it to save everyone else.” 

A gentle breeze blew into the cave. Asriel leaned into it, letting it carry him into the air once more. He put both hands on his chest and extended them outward. The SOULs were faint, but there, spilling out of his chest and following the wind to their owners. They began to shine as they found their homes, and each monster gave a gentle sigh of relief. The six human SOULs swirled around Asriel, then Frisk, then Tallon. All whispering their thanks before fading away, finally free.

Asriel touched the ground again and staggered. Frisk launched out of Tallon’s grip and caught him. “Asriel, it’s alright now, I’ve got you.”

The prince laughed, surprised. “I...I did not change back.”

Tallon smiled, “That was Chara’s final gift to you, yeah? Their SOUL? It isn’t much, you won’t get any superpowers, but it will be enough to replace your monster SOUL and allow you to live on as yourself, not a flower.” 

Frisk sniffled, burrying their head in Asriel’s shoulder. “This...this is what I’ve been working so hard to do. I’ve tried every route, I’ve done everything right, I’ve done everything wrong...I just...wanted to bring you home. You were always the one I couldn’t save. And now…” They turned to Tallon, their eyes shining, their smile wide. They wiped their nose with their sleeve before holding out their hand. “It’s all thanks to you. You helped me save him…”

She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around them both, “It’s all I could do, after everything you did for me.”

* * *

 

The three of them waited quietly until the rest of the monsters woke up. Tallon and Frisk stood in front of Asriel, ready to prepare them all for the shock that he was alive and well, and that he had been Flowey all along. 

Toriel is the first to stir. Tallon turns to Asriel to gage his reaction. He is standing tall, proud. He is ready for this. Tallon smiles and moves to help the motherly monster stand. “Hey there, Tori. You’ll probably feel a little...light headed.”

Toriel’s hand touched her chest briefly before reaching for Tallon’s cheek. “My child, are you alright? I remember that...that flower making such angry threats.”

“I am fine, Tori...and I have a surprise for you.” The two stood, slowly, giving Toriel time to adjust and find her footing. Tallon turned the monster around, making a sweeping motion towards the children. There, Asriel puffed out his chest, his head tilted up, trying to look strong even as his lip began to tremble.

Toriel leaned against the human for a moment, her hand covering her mouth. “I...I do believe the um...previous events have caused some damage…”

Tallon laughed, “Nah, Tori. He’s really here.” 

She takes a few staggering steps towards her lost son. “Asriel…”

“H-hello, m-mommy…” the brave face he was putting on crumbled as soon as Tori opened her arms towards him. He gave a sob before launching into her arms, burying his face in her fur. They clung to each other so tightly, tears rolling down both of their cheeks. Frisk was standing to the side, crying with them. Tori held out a hand to them and pulled them into the hug as well, accepting them as her other child.

There was a grunt from nearby. Tallon turned to see the King sitting up, rubbing his chest. “Your Majesty,” she tilted her head in lieu of a bow, offering her hand, “I don’t believe we formally met. I’m Tallon, the other human that was running around.” 

His warm eyes scanned her face as he took her hand. “I see. Well, as the barrier has been broken I do believe I can finally offer you a cup of tea, should you want it.” His laugh was deep and washed her in warmth.

“I’d like that, but I think there’s someone you should meet…” She turned towards his wife, who was on a bent knee, holding Asriel out to look him over. Her eyes shifted over to the king, full of awe and excitement. All animosity was forgotten in this moment, their son was alive. 

Asgore scrambled to his feet, tripping over his cape for a moment before rushing to his son. “Asriel! Oh Asriel, my boy! My son…” He dropped to his knees and pulled Asriel into his arms, careful of his armor. His body was shaking, and Tallon knew he must be crying. 

Tori rested a hand on the king's arm, her voice light. “While I have not fully forgiven you, Asgore...perhaps we could...at least talk. For Asriel’s sake.”

Asgore sniffled, shifting Asriel in his arms so that he could touch Toriel’s shoulder. “That is all I’ve ever asked of you. I’ve missed you...both of you.”

Toriel accepted the hug he offered and made sure to pull Frisk in as well. Tallon watched from nearby, offering her help to the monsters waking up. Undyne’s good eye popped open seconds before she sprung to her feet, an arrow materializing in her hands. “WHERE’S THAT PESKY FLOWER, I’LL SHOW HIM WHAT IT MEANS TO MESS WITH MY FRIENDS! NYAAHH!!!”

Tallon ran to her side, her hands waving. “Undyne, Undyne! It’s alright. The danger has passed.”

The monster’s shoulders dropped in relief before she snapped to attention again, scanning the room. She paused at the king curling around his wife and a monster she didn’t recognize, but before she could ask questions a small moan drew her attention away from the scene. Alphys was stirring to her left, her hand touching her face to adjust her glasses. “Alphys!”

Tallon left them alone to talk, smiling at how Undyne’s version of helping the scientist up involved lifting her completely off the ground and holding her in her arms. Well, whatever made them happy. She made her way around the room, helping some of the smaller monsters to their feet and leading them back to the throne room. They didn’t need to stumble outside the barrier and get lost. She paused beside Papyrus where he was snoring gently and laughed. Tallon pressed a kiss to his skull before giving him a shake, “C’mon Pap, now is not the time for sleeping.”

“THE GREAT PAPYRUS NEVER SLEEPS!” he cried, defensive. He shot up, posing dramatically. 

“whatever you say bro, but i’ve got the pics to prove it.”

Tallon turned slowly to face Sans, who was leaning against the wall nearby. He was smiling, as he always was, but she could feel the genuine glee rolling off him. “Sans.”

“ya did good, kid. thanks.” 

“You saw, didn’t you?”

His shoulders lifted for a moment before falling again. “depends on what you’re referrin’ to, kid.”

Her hand lifted to touch the locket when a metallic voice filled the room. “WELL, NOT THAT WAS QUITE A SHOW, WASN’T IT?” Mettaton was stretching all of his limbs, showing off the new body that was charged and ready for a camera. Papyrus began flailing his hands, his voice high and excited about finally meeting his idol.

Sans was by Tallon’s side then, his eyes fondly trailing after his brother. “i’ll assume you’re talking about the gray magic. yeah, i noticed it when you pulled your SOUL out of your chest. i was gonna wait about questioning you about it,  at least ‘til all this was taken care of. unless you’re ready to talk now?”

She nodded, her eyes scanning the room before holding out her hand to her friend, “They’ve all got a lot of talking to do, and I don’t have to be here for it. Besides, I’ve got something for you.”

His eyes fell to the locket before scanning her face. “alright...where do we need to go?”

She reached into the small pocket of her bag and pulled out her keychain. “Your lab.”

* * *

 

Tallon was still not used to the portals, but it was the easiest way to get to Snowdin from the barrier. She touched his arm as they materialized in front of her house, asking for a slight detour before they got down to business. She led him over to the snowman, offering back it’s bit of snow. It thanked her profusely, excited at the thought that part of it made it all the way to the barrier.

As they made their way back to the house, Sans gave her a nudge, “you made a snowman real happy back there. i’m proud of you.”

“It was an easy enough task, keep a bit of now during our travels and then return.”

“yeah well, i’m sure others wouldn’t agree.”

He hesitated at the door. Tallon offered him the key ring, his key glinting in the sun. He nodded and used it to unlock the door, letting her enter before following her down the stairs. Sans gave a little cough and apologized for the dust. “so why are we here?”

Tallon leaned against the counter. “Well...first I have to explain a few things.” She waved for him to get comfortable before launching into what she knows. She knew she was from the surface, that her mother was loving and kind, that her father died when she was a baby. She works at the local gym, and she loves to climb. She wanted her boss and mother to date, as they would be good for each other. She talked about school, how she didn’t hate life.

Eventually, she waved her hand and pointed out the irrelevance of it all, because one day she found a mountain where none were labeled on her map. She did her best to research it and decided the best way to find out about it was to climb it herself. She did, and someone...or something...was there, and she jumped after them into the Underground. 

There she was met with dust and fear, and followed around a Frisk who wasn’t theirself. She talked about watching everyone die. Even him, and then how a voice guided her to the door in Waterfall. She didn’t mention his name, just said that he gave her a SOUL to protect and that her final mission was to bring it here, and how he sent her through a portal to this timeline.

Sans was staring at the floor, processing the information. 

Tallon took the locket from around her neck and held it out, “this is the missing piece.”

He didn’t ask what she was referring to. He was smart, he could fill in the pieces himself. Instead, he threw the sheet off of the machine in the corner and wiped the dust off the monitors. He waved for her to bring the locket over. 

Tallon opened it, lifting out the shriveled white SOUL and placed it where he pointed. 

“should be a few sets of goggles in that lower cabinet. grab a couple, would you? i dunno what’s gonna happen next but we need to take as many precautions as we can.”

She tossed a pair to him as she slipped on her own. She’d never been a fan of them in science class, as they always left marks on her face, but she agreed they shouldn’t take any risks. 

He typed a few things into the machine and flipped a switch. It began to whir gently, a light inside began to flash. Sans took a few steps back, holding an arm against Tallon, ready to push her out of harm’s way should anything go wrong. They watched as smoke filled inside the glass. The whir became louder, the whole thing vibrating with exertion. A loud ringing pierced the air and the two flinched, stepping back. Tallon covered her ears in an effort to block the noise but it was in her mind, as the voice had been. Sans ran to the machine, checking the numbers and letters scrolling past at a rapid pace.

“it...it’s working. tallon it’s-”

The monitor flashed red for a second before the pod door busted open. The screeching noise ended, leaving them in total silence while the room filled with smoke.

Coughing, Tallon ran back up the stairs and threw the door open. A passing wind helped pull the smoke out of the small room. When she returned, Sans was sprawled on the ground, propped up on an elbow. His eyes were wide and locked on the machine. 

“Sans, what-”

“Tallon, It’s Good To Hear Your Voice Again.”

She turned to face the machine, that familiar voice in her mind lining up with a familiar face standing in front of the machine. “Dr. Gaster! It worked!”

He laughed. His face was still cracked, but he stood tall in a white lab coat and dark pants. His holed hands were folded in front of him, but two other sets floated on either side of him, signing his words as he spoke, “Yes It Did, My Dear Girl. And It’s All Thanks To You.” He held out his own hand, waiting until she took it to continue, “And For That I Am Eternally Grateful.” The Doctor gave her hand a quick kiss before releasing her. 

“Will their memories return?”

“Yes.”

“Will...will the others? The ones that faded when you…”

He shook his head slowly, “I Do Not Believe So. In All My Time In The Void, I Had Never Seen A Single Shard Of The Other Monster’s SOULs, otherwise, I Would Have Gladly Saved Them From Such A Place.”

There was a shuffle behind them, and they turned to see Sans finally getting his legs under him. He rose, unsteadily, his eyes never leaving Gaster’s face. Tallon stepped to his side, giving him her arm for support. “you…”

Gaster stood straight, his hands behind his back. “Hello, Sans.”

“i…” Sans faltered, leaning against Tallon for a moment, “gaster, you…” He took a deep breath and stood straight, shaking away Tallon’s hands. “after all those years…all those failures...”

“You Did Your Best With What You Had, Sans. I’m Sorry That I Could Not Help More.”

“no, no i didn’t do my best. i gave up.”

“There Was Nothing Else You Could Have Done, Sans. Besides, I’m Sure Papyrus Was Glad To Have His Brother Back After All Those Months Of Rarely Seeing You.”

Sans looked guilty, but shook his head, “pap...he’s gonna flip when he sees you.” 

“And I’ll Be Sure To Tell Him It Was His Brilliant Brother That Brought Me Back.”

“That old lazybones? Nah, I’ll take all the credit,” Tallon pitched in, smiling at the two monsters. Sans snorted, his frame shaking for a moment before tears began spilling out of his sockets. Gaster opened his arms. Sans stepped forward, hesitating only for a moment before hugging the Doctor. Tallon watched, a hand on her heart, as the two reunited. She wasn’t sure just how they had been back then, but she knew they were close. She felt a pang in her heart as her mind drifted towards her mother. She was probably still looking for her.

“Aster Is Proud Of You, Sans. Taking Such Good Care Of Papyrus While We Were Gone…” Sans chuckled and stepped away. Tallon wasn’t sure what they were talking about but decided to hold off on her questions. “Well, We Should Join The Others Before They Do Something Drastic.” Gaster waved his hand, opening a portal to his left. Tallon hesitated, remembering the last one she walked through sent her to another timeline. “Don’t Worry, It Is A Similar Portal To Sans’. Now That Most Of My Form Is Within One Timeline, It Is Very Hard For Me To Jump Between Them. Not Impossible, Mind, But Difficult.”

* * *

 

The monsters are all chatting among themselves in the throne room, none seemed surprised at the portal forming, or Tallon and Sans stepping through. However, as Gaster stepped through after them all talking ceased. 

“Wing-Ding.” Asgore whispered before shaking his head, “No. You started going by Gaster after-”

“Doctor Gaster!” Alphys stepped forward, cleaning her glasses to make double sure she wasn’t seeing things. “But y-y-you...I-I…”

“Hello, All. I Believe I Have Some Things To Explain, But First,” He turned to Asriel, getting down one knee to try and equal out their heights. “How Are You, Little Flower?”

“I’m not a flower anymore.” Asriel smiled proudly, “I’m...I’m so happy to be me again.”

Gaster smiled, giving the child a pat on the head before standing, “Good. Then I Shall Forgive All Your Wrongdoings, Little...Prince.” The Doctor turned to the others, the floating hands signing away behind him. “I Know Many Of Your Faces, But Not All, So I Shall Formally Introduce Myself. I Am Doctor Gaster, The Former Royal Scientist And The Creator Of The Determination Experiment That Has Caused Doctor Alphys So Much Grief.” He gave a slight bow. 

Papyrus jumped up and down in glee, “PARENT!” He lunged forward, tripping over himself in his excitement. “GASTER I THOUGHT YOU HAD LEFT US! BUT YOU’RE BACK NOW! I’M SO GLAD!”

“Papyrus, I’m Glad Too. Come Here,” He pulled the bouncing skeleton into his arms and hugged him tightly. “You Can Think Your Brother For That. If He Hadn’t Built That Machine There Would Have Been No Way For Me To Return To You.”

“WHAT? MY LAZYBONES BROTHER NEVER DOES ANYTHING COOL!”

“aww, c’mon papyrus, i’m pretty  _ cool _ around snowdin.”

“UGH. SEE? ALL HE EVER DOES IS MAKE STUPID PUNS.”

“And Yet, It Is So.” Gaster released Papyrus and gave his shoulder a rub. “But That Is Enough Bickering, For Now, There Are Questions To Be Answered.” Gaster turned to Tallon, his head tilting to one side as he waited for her questions.

“Ah, um well...I figured you’d fill me in whenever you were ready, but…”

He chuckled, the sound glitching for a brief moment before he waved towards Alphys. “Well, To Start the DT Project, I Had To Have A Patient Zero. I Walked Alphys, My Assistant At The Time, And My Wife Through The Process And Agreed To Be Patient Zero. I Know You’ve Seen The Results Of The Other Experiments, And I’m Afraid The First Time Wasn’t Much Better. My Dear Aster Was Taking Care of Me While I Recovered And Well…” He paused, a hand going to his heart. “She Is Here With Me. As We Were Both Skeleton Monsters, Our Bodies Had No Trouble Moulding Together. Through This I Gained Her Power Of Making Portals, And A Voice That Is More Than A Glitch. I’m Sure You’re Aware That Wing Ding Is Made Of Symbols, Rather Than Recognizable Letters, And Thus The Hands. But Aster Never Had Trouble Reading Me...Suppose That Is Why I Was Drawn To Her, That And Her Kindness.”

Asgore stepped forward, his hand touching Gaster’s shoulder. “I am...glad you are back, old friend.”

Gaster patted the larger monster’s hand and smiled. “As Am I.”

“So you are…” Toriel spoke up, her head tilted in confusion, “my memories from then are so fuzzy, let me see...you are Sans and Papyrus’ father and mother, correct?”

“Yes. After The Experiment, They Began To Call Me Parent, As I Am An Embodiment Of Them Both.”

Alphys pulled Undyne forward, her face red. “Um...D-Doctor Gaster, I’d like y-y-you to meet-”

“Ah, Yes. You Must Be Undyne, Captain Of The Royal Guard. And That Lovely Robot In The Corner Must Be Mettaton, I’m Glad Your Personal Experiment Went Well.” He held out his hand, which Undyne shook. She gave him a suspicious once-over. “When I Was Pushed Into The Core I Tried To Teleport To Safety. Instead, I Was Pulled Into The Void, Spread Out Through All Of Time And Space. I Have Seen Every Twist, Every Turn, That This Universe Has Within It. Eventually I Gained Enough Of Myself To Lead A Few Human’s Here, Trying My Best To Find Someone Strong Enough To Break The Barrier.”

Tallon remembered the figure standing at the edge, the black mass leaning forward, falling-

“However, It Turns Out That Frisk Would Be The One Who Turned This Place Upside Down, Rather Than Any Of The Humans I Chose. In Order To Help Them, I Found Tallon, Who Has Proven Herself A Great Friend To Monsterkind.”

Tallon blushed and waved a hand at him, “I just did what you told me, Gaster. You whispered in my ear the whole time…”

“You Did Not Have To Listen.”

Frisk took Tallon’s hand and smiled up at her, “thank you for helping me, Tallon.”

“Awe, it was no big deal, kid. Besides! We still have to get them outside, yeah? It looks like the sun’s about to set…”

Asriel jumps to her other side, taking her other hand, and begins pulling them towards the barrier. “Last one out’s a rotten egg!” 

“AH, A RACE? I’LL GIVE YOU A RACE! NYEHEHE!” Papyrus used his long legs to his advantage, making leaps and bounds to follow them. Sans and Gaster shared a secretive smile before teleporting to the edge of the barrier, stepping out into the sun just as the others joined them.

“That’s totally cheating, guys!” The little prince complained.

“hey, it’s not our fault pap never learned to teleport.”

“THAT’S BECAUSE IT IS LAZY, AND I LIKE THE EXERCISE!”

“Guys, guys, we’ll argue the logistics of using powers in a race later…” Tallon’s low voice drew everyone’s attention outwards, where she stood at the edge of a rock, arms outstretched, the sun setting low behind her. There were gasps, jaws dropped to the ground and eyes widened in awe. 

They finally made it out, and before them shone the sun. Tallon took a picture of them standing at the edge, tears in her eyes. After so many decades...they were finally free. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey, guess who had time to work on the story! I think there's one more chapter, and then an epilogue left to tell, so hopefully, I'll have time to write some more soon! This has been an experience, let me tell you. And my writing style has changed so much from the beginning but I've tried my best to keep it consistent for you guys. Thank you for following Tallon through this mess of a timeline, hope you enjoy the last few chapters!  
> Questions, comments, concerns, just wanna chat? Post below and I'll gladly answer!  
> -JM


	33. Reunions

Tallon stepped off to the side, let them bask in the dying light, and dug around in her bag. She found her phone, powered it on, and let out a sigh of relief when it showed she had most of her battery left. She was so glad she thought of turning it off when she’d started climbing. The date caught her eye.  _ It’s been three weeks… _

She was still staring at the date when Frisk tugged at her shirt. 

She looked down at the kid, waving away their concerned stare. “I’ll be alright, kid. Let’s figure out our next move before we lose the light.”

The child led her back to the others, who were all chattering among themselves. The king smiled at them, still clinging to his wife and child. “Here they are, the heroes of the hour.”

Tallon laughed, ruffling Frisk’s hair, “this one’s the real hero. I was just the escort.” 

“Well, You Were A Very Good Escort. I Trained You Well.” 

Tallon gave Gaster a playful shove, laughing. “Alright, wise-guy. We need to make a plan before we lose daylight. Looks like the moon is fairly full but I don’t want to risk it.” 

Asgore straightened up, his expression falling into a more serious one. He was turning on the king mode. “Yes, you’re quite right. What do you suggest?”

She looked over the edge, noting the distance down. “I can rappel down probably, I should have enough rope. Or I can find a fairly easy path to climb down on the rocks.” Tallon waved a hand at Sans and Gaster, “those two might be able to teleport us down but I don’t want to wear them out. So we have options, I just need to know which one we want to use.”

Frisk was waving their hand in the air, Tallon nodded at them. “You left some stuff in the Ruins.”

She shifted around a few things in her bag, revealing the rope and harness she’d kept for emergencies. “I kept these on me, just in case. I’ll get the rest of it later.”

“I May Be A Bit Rusty, But My Magic Is Strong. I Can Sustain A Portal Down There For Several Minutes, Though We Might Want To Limit The Party.”

Gaster had a point. It wouldn’t do to take down a large group, too risky. The king is an obvious choice, his diplomacy would be needed once they got back to civilization. Perhaps the queen as well, she was open and friendly. The kids would come whether asked or not. Gaster would be needed in order to get back to the barrier, Sans would be needed for her nerves.

_ Well. That’s a thought. _

Gaster gave her a knowing smile and she resisted the urge to stick out her tongue. Tallon told the others her thoughts on the matter, leaving out the last bit. There was a mumble of agreement, talk of what the others should do in the meantime. 

“Mostly we need guards at the barrier, make sure the others don’t wander out, make sure they don’t get hurt.” Papyrus and Undyne nodded, calling forth a spear and bone before taking their posts just inside the barrier. 

Alphys wanted to head back to her lab. “It’s t-t-time to feed the...the others. And I want to s-s-send them home. They deserve to go home.” She took a deep breath and smiled at Tallon, then at Frisk. 

Gaster bent down and gave the small monster a hug, whispering something in her ear that made her blush and stutter her goodbyes. Undyne gave him a threatening look, which he laughed off. Alphys brushed a hand against Undyne’s as she passed, and waved for Metatton to follow her. He probably needed to charge after all that. 

Tallon looked around in her bag for her anchors. There was a sturdy rock near the edge she could use, and a fairly flat area just in front of it. That’s two anchors, just enough to safely get down. 

“Now, I Know Firsthand How Stubborn You Are, But I Do Believe We Agreed To Use Magic To Get Down The Mountain?”

She nodded, “yeah, you guys did. I want to rappel. I’ll meet you down there, ok?”

He was shaking his head fondly, sighing, “If That Is What You Wish.”

The monsters watched as she sets up her anchors, one in the ground and one in the rock, looping her rope securely through them and knotting them off. She slipped on her harness, attaching her figure-8 descender. As she double checked her knots, she noticed her audience. “I’ll be fine. Go ahead, start heading down.” She triple checked her ropes before starting to lean back from the cliff wall. “If I have the distance incorrectly calculated I’ll need someone on the ground ready to catch me. I was never good at guesstimating heights,” Tallon winked and started her trek down the side of the mountain.

* * *

 

She miscalculated the distance.

Tallon looked down the last twenty feet to the ground and considered her options. Her descender was rested against the knot at the end of the rope. The monsters that have already passed through the portal were staring up at her anxiously. “Give me a sec, I’ll think of something!” she called down. She could see Sans laughing. 

She took a quick look around, noting their location in the forest. She recognized the telltale signs of the path she’d taken weeks earlier a few miles to the left.  _ Good. We’re not too far off the path, getting back to the road should be a breeze. _

A quick glance down brought her back to her current situation.  _ Now to get down from here… _

“Asgore, if I drop down do you think you can catch me?”

The monster glanced around nervously, “most likely. I would prefer not to test that, though.”

Sans waves his hand lazily and a row of bones appeared a few feet from the ground. Another wave, another row of bones. He jumped on to each platform, slowly climbing his way next to her. “someone ask for some stairs?”

Tallon couldn’t help but laugh. “My knight in shining...jacket?” She waited until he made a platform just under her feet before unhooking her descender. She felt her stomach jump to her throat for a moment before her feet touched the bones and everything righted within her.   “Thanks...”

Sans was chuckling. “no problem, kid.”

“Still not a kid.”

They jumped down from platform to platform, letting them disperse as they went. Sans didn’t run ahead of her, staying by her side ready to catch her should she slip. It was awkward jumping around with the harness on but manageable, she runs around the gym with it on 70% of the time anyway. 

Once her feet touched solid ground there was a small cheer from the other monsters. Gaster put a hand on Sans’ shoulder, the other on Tallon’s. “Good Work, You Two. But Perhaps Trust Me Next Time I Suggest Using Magic, Tallon?”

She shrugged, “I dunno, I heard there was one time you used magic and then got spread across time and space. Not ready to experience that just yet, old man.”

He flinched but laughed anyway. Her words had no bite behind them, he would have to get used to her humor being turned on him. “Yes. Well. If Not Me, Then At Least Let Sans Help.”

“Maybe.”

Sans made a disgruntled noise and wandered off to explore the nearby trees.

Tallon takes a seat with her back against the mountain. She checked her phone again, noting the time. They had about an hour before they lost the sunlight. The trees were already blocking most of it. Just before she locked it again, she noticed a bar in the corner. 

She had a signal.

It was weak, would probably disappear as soon as the call connected, but it was there and she wanted to try.

It rang... 

...and rang…

...and rang.

_ Click.  _ “Hello? Tallon, baby? Is -at you?”

“Mom!”

“Oh my g-d it’s her, Dy-! Dylan, it’s her! You are in so much trouble baby g-, where are you? What happened?”

“Mom, mom! I’ll explain everything when you get here. Where are you?”

“We’re - the forest path looking for y- baby, where are -ou? Where do we need to go?”

“Follow it to the mountain, then head west a few miles. We’re at the base.”

“We?”

“It’s...hard to explain. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Alright baby, al-. I love you, sweetheart, we’re on our way.”

“Love you too, momma.” 

_ Click. _

Something soft brushed against her cheek. Tallon pulled back to find Sans rubbing his jacket sleeve against her cheeks, wiping away the tears she hadn’t noticed shedding. Frisk and Asriel were sitting nearby, waiting for her attention. “Sup, kiddos?”

They launched at her.

The three of them landed in a tangled heap on the ground. Sans must have teleported out of the way as soon as he realized what was happening because suddenly he laughing a few feet away rather than in the pile with them. Four little hands (well, two hands and two paws) began rubbing against her sides, tickling her until she laughed. Tallon did her best to fight them off, new tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“Alright, alright. Come along children, let her up. Those were happy tears because her mother is on the way, isn’t that right my child?” Toriel was laughing but helped the children move off of Tallon. She took a seat beside her then, watching as the children rush off to climb a nearby tree. Asgore was doing his best to talk them out of it, flittering around the tree they chose, ready to catch them should anyone fall.

Tallon curled against Toriel, feeling more at ease than she has in weeks. This was it. They were free. She was home. 

She fell asleep.

* * *

 

“-lon!”

“-allon!”

Tallon shifted, was someone calling for her?”

“Tallon, baby!”

She sat up. She was on her feet in a moment, stumbling towards the forest, towards the voices. “Mom? Momma!” She ran through the trees, doing her best to avoid roots and pitfalls as she ran. Tallon wanted to see them, wanted to touch them and know for sure she’s here, really here, and that this wasn’t another false memory. She wanted to have a moment with her mother before she had to explain the existence of monsters.

A familiar red jacket came into view. “Tallon!”

“Mom!”

Within seconds they were wrapped in each other’s arms. They fell to their knees tangled around each other, touching each other’s faces, hair, shoulders. Her mother checked her over for injuries and then coddled her so closely she couldn’t breathe. 

Dylan was smiling off to the side, waiting for things to calm down. Tallon waved him over, pulling him into the hug. They both leaned onto his shoulders, tears of joy staining his coat.

After a few moments, they calmed down. Tallon was sure this was real, she was home.  

“Wanna tell us what happened, Tallon?” Dylan was mumbling into her hair.

“Well…”

Tallon tried her best to explain it all to them. She started with the articles, waving a hand towards the mountain as if they needed help understanding that it exists. She talked of the monsters, of the war that humans forgot, of her repeated time underground. They couldn't follow, couldn't believe, so she led them towards her friends.

Frisk met them along the way, running up the small path between the trees. 

“Where's Asriel,” she asked. A small figure dropped out of a nearby tree, landing next to Frisk. There was a gasp from her mom, Dylan had a hand out in front of her, more afraid that he'd jumped out of a tree than the fact he was, essentially, a walking, talking goat.

Asriel seemed to realize this and looked sheepishly at the ground, his hands tucking behind his back, “sorry…”

Tallon laughed. Popping out in random places must have been a trait he had before being a flower. She swept forward, grabbed him under the arms and hoisted him onto her shoulder. He was fairly light for his size. The kids were laughing. Tallon turned back to her mom, “This here is Asriel, prince of monsters.” He waved his free hand, the other was clinging to her neck. “The other one is Frisk, a kid I followed around and the one who just so happened to save all of monster kind.”

“I seem to remember someone else going through two timelines in order to fix my mistakes.”

Tallon wasn’t sure how to respond to that one, so she turned to her family. “So...fair warning, up ahead there are more monsters like this one here,” she nuzzled against Asriel’s shirt, making him giggle, “but they’re all just as nice, just as gentle. One might try to prank you but he’s pretty harmless.”

“In this route at least…” Frisk whispered though Tallon was sure she was the only one who heard. 

Her mom stepped forward, pushing Dylan’s hand down to his side, rubbing his shoulder as she passed.  _ I’ll have to ask about that later, _ Tallon thought. She held still as her mom reached out. She felt Asriel stiffen, felt him twitch as if wanting to flee. This was a stranger to him, and the last strangers he’d met tried to kill him. She held him steady, though, waiting for her mom’s hand to brush against his soft fur. She drew back for a moment, surprised, then placed her hand fully on Asriel’s arm. 

“H-howdy miss.”

“Hello...Asriel, was it? You’re very soft.”

“T-thank you.”

“Asriel, this is my mother. And that one there is Dylan, he’s my boss and maybe in a year or so he’ll be my stepfather.” There was a sputtering from Dylan, and a blush on both their cheeks. The children were both laughing. Asriel wiggled, wanting to get down. Tallon pulled him from her shoulder and dropped him next to Frisk, which made them giggle more. They dashed forward through the trees and then paused, waiting for the rest of the humans. 

“They saved me just as much as I saved them, mom. And I want you to meet them, and I want you to like them. Because they’re more than my friends now...they’re like another family. But if that’s not something you can handle, if you can’t grasp the concepts of monsters and magic all being real...then tell me now.”

Dylan had stepped forward, now, his arms encircling her mom in a gentle embrace. “If they aren’t violent then I won’t be. If they’re like you described, if they’re more good than bad, then I’ll gladly meet them. I’ll gladly live near them, work with them. You know that…”

Tallon nodded, her eyes never leaving her mother’s face. She was thinking. “I...I want to meet them. If they’re important to you, if you finally reached out and made friends, and made a  _ family _ , I want to meet them.”

There were tears on her cheek that she doesn’t remember shedding. She threw her arms around them both, “thank you…”

* * *

 

They followed behind the kids, talking quietly about the things she’d missed the past few weeks. Dylan had offered his assistance in looking for her, sticking to her mother like glue and making sure she took care of herself while they looked, “It wouldn’t have done you any good to come back from god knows where to a mother who was on the verge of death.” 

Tallon laughed at that one, but he was right. She was glad there was someone who had been able to take care of her, especially if it was Dylan. “Thanks, Dyl.”

She tried not to stare at their hands intertwining, hiding her smile behind a yawn. At some point, Frisk wanted a piggyback ride, and Asriel didn’t want to be left out in the free ride, so Tallon ended up with one child on her shoulders and the other in her arms. They broke through the treeline into the small clearing at the base of the mountain. 

There was a gasp before Toriel rushed forward to take Asriel, scolding him for running off like that. She’s nuzzling him as she speaks, and he is laughing. Asgore takes Frisk off her back and puts them on his shoulder, where they cling to his horns as though their life depended on it. 

“Hello, I am Asgore, this is my...this is Toriel, we are the King and Queen of Monsters.” Asgore’s deep rumble of a voice was sad but proud.

Toriel nodded to the humans, extending a hand. Tallon waved a hand to her new companions, “This is my mom, Stacy, and my boss and soon to be stepdad Dylan.”

Her mom popped her shoulder affectionately before taking the offered hand. Dylan offered a hand to Asgore, who smiled wide as he took it. 

Tallon smiled at the exchange. Something tugged her sleeve and her bag was in her view. “Thanks,” she mumbled, looking to see Sans smiling at her. Even as Asriel and Frisk stood before her, even as her mom was shaking hands with Toriel, and Sans was holding her bag open for her, she still shifts through her bag and checks for each weapon that she'd picked up along the way. There was a weight that slowly left her shoulders as her hand brushed each item, the toy dagger, the gloves, the shoes, the book, the pan, the gun...the knife. 

Sans waited by her side as she looked, and watched as the two half of her family talked. At some point, while her head was down, Gaster had joined the royal family in explaining what all had happened, filling them in on his part in her adventure, how she’d traversed this route twice in order to fix a mistake that had happened so many years ago. All because someone was afraid of what they didn’t understand…

“ya did good, kid. you shouldn’t sell yourself short. frisk told me you were writing them off as the hero, acting like you had just been along for the ride.”

“I was…” she started, holding up a hand before he could jump in, “I was mostly just following their path, in either route. I followed, I paid attention, I did what I was told, either by them or by Gaster. Yeah, I helped in all this but this,” she waved a hand towards her mom, now laughing with Asgore while Gaster’s hands gestured wildly, “this is something so much greater than me. And I just played my part. Frisk was trying to achieve this for so long, I just happened to break the cycle.”

“but it was a cycle they were trapped in willingly.”

She looked down, surprised. Sans was looking off to the side where the kids were climbing trees, “they’ve done what you did before, gone through different routes, used that weird...save ability of theirs to try different things until they could get through areas safely, learned all they could about people in order to befriend them. they’ve saved us before. we’ve seen that sunset before, and yet they always reset, just before we went down the mountain, they’d start over, try again, talk to everyone, say all the right things...save us again. and again. and again…” He sighed, “i have notes from other routes in a box that g made a long time ago. isn’t affected by time shenanigans, something we need to consider with the uh...teleporting stuff. risks that we have to calculate. something i helped perfect just after his accident to ensure it wouldn’t happen to me. and one thing i noticed is that they’d ask about the royal family and then reset to the area before, and never bring it up. they wanted to know about the accident, about what happened to the SOULs of the children…”

“They wanted to save everyone...even those who, in theory, were unsavable.”

“somethin’ like that, yeah. the last few times around, just before you showed up, my notes were a little...dark in nature. they were doin’ things, killing monsters, testing the waters...trying to see how that affected the narrative. but doin’ something like that unlocks that fear, that hate, that the children felt towards humans. it would grow, become a voice in their head that wanted revenge for the death of their best friend.”

“But Asriel wasn’t dead, right?”

“right. frisk gets far enough in that sorta route, the spirit still couldn’t recognize flowey as the lost prince. and that last route…”

“My...my first route.”

Sans nodded, “got notes about you, suspicious at first, but called you harmless after a point. last note was a plan to get you away from a fight, guess it didn’t work if you got the key, if you...watched me die.”

Tallon laughed, “You tried, I’m just stubborn.”

He hummed thoughtfully. “guess so. gaster’s roll in all this was the factor i hadn’t picked up on. after i stopped working on that machine i did my best to put him out of my mind. didn’t expect anyone other than the kid to get put through the loop more than once, wrote you off as an anomaly and prepared for the worst to repeat itself.”

“And then here I was again, trailing after a Frisk that was playing nice once more.”

“right. That SOUL should have lingered, tempting them to kill again. but with someone like you around, they stayed in check. they kept their head.”

“Without you guys...I wouldn’t have known what to do. My memories were all fuzzy, distorted. You made me want to help, even without the voice in my head reminding me that this is what I signed up for.” Tallon set the bag on the ground, noting the stars beginning to shine above them. “It’s getting dark, we need to make a plan.”

“Plan’s already made, Tal. While you were talking with your boyfriend we decided to stay in the mountain for the night. You know as well as I do the woods aren’t safe at night.” Dylan tried winking at her but she’s already crossing to him, punching him in the arm. Her cheeks are red but she’s ignoring that. “Ouch! Always abusin’ the boss, I should fire you for it.”

“You’d run the gym into the ground without me, don’t even joke.”

“Tallon!” Toriel’s voice is high, surprised. “Such a violent act towards a friend, should I be worried?”

She drew back, her eyes wide, “of course not Tori! He can take the punch, I know you guys can’t.”

There is laughter, Toriel’s arms are around her in moments, “I was only teasing, my child. Let us get inside before the night air gets everyone sick, shall we?”

Gaster waved everyone over to the base of the mountain, allowing Tallon a moment to adjust her bag around before waving open a portal. “I’ve Opened It To The Cliff We Were Previously On, So The Human’s Can Meet The Guards.”

“Thanks, G!” Tallon pulled her mom forward, not letting her hesitate at the edge of the portal. They stood on the cliff overlooking the trees. The sun is down, the stars are out, and Tallon feels peace.

* * *

 

Meeting Undyne and Papyrus involved a lot of yelling, which wasn’t unusual. Once everyone calmed down and Undyne stopped trying to bench-press Dylan in a show of strength, they started making sleeping arrangements. The royal family decides to sleep in the Ruins, wanting to visit the creatures along the way and explain what they can to everyone. They offer the humans the use of New Home for the night and call for a meeting in the throne room in the morning. Frisk hesitates, looking between Tallon and Asriel, unsure who they wish to stay the night with. Tallon watched as Sans whispered something in their ear, and suddenly they’re running after the monsters, calling for them to wait.

Tallon watched as her mom talked to Gaster about magic, fascinated with the possibilities of his teleportation, pointing out that Toriel had been holding a flame in her hand in order to light the way. As they talked magic Tallon felt her eyes close and fought to keep them open. Sans was at her side, offering a shoulder to rest on. They sat against the wall and listened to the two talk. Her eyes closed again. She forces them open again, looking over to see Sans carrying her with blue magic to the bed. She curls in against his jacket and mumbles quiet thanks.

She wakes up again in the bed, her mom crawling into the covers with her. “Thank you...for keeping her safe,” her mother whispers into the darkness.

“she saved us, not the other way around.”

“I’ve never seen her so open with others, outside of myself and Dylan. She keeps to herself, hides away on trails and mountains...she talks to others about her hobbies but anything past that? Nothing. You’ve saved her in a way I wasn’t sure was possible...from herself.”

There’s a thoughtful hum from the door before it closed. There are lips pressed against Tallon’s forehead and she curls up against her mom and sleeps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wild update appears! It's the final chapter, up next is the epilogue and then this work is DONE! I'll be uploading the epilogue in a bit, just want to read it over and make sure that it's done before posting. I'll talk a bit more about my next project once that's uploaded, so for now, ENJOY!  
> Questions, comments, concerns, just wanna chat? Post below and I'll gladly answer!  
> -JM


	34. Epilogue: Six Months Later

Tallon adjusted her bag, unused to the weight she was carrying this time. The path was familiar, one she has traversed at least once a week for the past several months. A familiar face rushed towards her, followed by their fuzzy companion. “Tallon!”

She braced for impact as the two children tackled her, trying her best to keep from falling on her bag. They pull her forward, chatting happily about the thing she’d missed in the past few days. They passed a few houses beside the river, waving at the monsters as they passed.

There was a small town at the base of the mountain, and even a few built  _ into  _ the mountain. Many of the monsters were still underground, unable to head out to somewhere with a suitable climate. 

Toriel has a group of children in a half circle around her, she’s holding a history book. Tallon leads the kids over, “Found you a couple of stragglers, your highness.”

“I was wondering where you two went,” Toriel turned to them, waving for them to take their seats in the circle. “Out making your rounds, Tallon?”

“Yeah, got you some books,” She swings the bag off her arms, letting it thump against the ground to prove how heavy it was. She shifted a few things over and pulled the books out of the bottom, handing them over. “A few on grammar, some math. I think there's a few kids books in there for fun, but you’ll have to check again. I just take what people donate, I didn’t have time to sift through them all.”

“I’m sure they’re fine, my child. I’ll give them a quick glance before adding them to the library, just in case.” 

“Thanks, where is everyone?”

Toriel points to the small building that serves as their eatery, and to the group of lab coats hovering near the base of the mountain. “A few must be around those areas, Asgore is meeting with a few humans, but he should be out soon, should you have anything for him.”

Tallon nodded, shouldering her bag and heading to the eatery. Grillby, along with a few other monsters, was busy cooking for a few patrons. She waved down the fire monster, handing him a few bags of groceries she had tied to the side of her bag. He sizzled happily and handed her a sandwich for her troubles. She munched on it happily as she walked towards the scientists huddled near the mountain. She found Alphys off to the side, avoiding the others, and handed her some DVDs. 

Asgore emerges from a nearby building, followed by a few diplomates. The underground has so much gold, they are fairly happy with allowing monsters into society if it means getting it into circulation. For the past few weeks they’ve been making arrangements for certain amounts of land in each type of climate to be allotted to the monsters. Eventually they will be allowed to integrate, but first the people need time to get used to monsters living next door. 

Tallon looked around the town, noting a few humans milling about, looking around and talking with a few monsters. The trail was left open to the public, with a warning that any arm to the monsters would result in an arrest. Tallon waved to the king, and headed towards Gaster and Sans, who were hunched over a table together. They want to make the town solar powered, something about it being too risky to run the Core power this far out. She couldn’t help but notice how nice Sans looked in his lab coat, how happy he seemed.

Papyrus and Undyne aren’t too far off, ready to help with heavy lifting should the scientists need it. They run over to the table when they see Tallon approaching. She pulled out a few advanced science books for Gaster, a few recipes for Papyrus, and some manga for Undyne.

Sans grumbled, “guess i’m the least favorite here, huh? no gifts for your friend sans?”

Tallon laughs, placing a kiss on his forehead to tide him over. His cheeks turn a dark blue as he ducks into his coat. She didn't know what they were, but that was something to figure out later, once everything was settled.

Papyrus stomps his foot, “WHY IS MY BROTHER THE ONLY ONE BEING SHOWERED IN KISSES WHEN I’M OBVIOUSLY THE POPULAR ONE???”

She pulls him down and kisses his cheek. “Happy?” Tallon glanced at Undyne, her eyebrow raised.

Undyne shakes her head, “I ONLY ACCEPT KISSES FROM MY SEXY SCIENTIST,” she cries, and makes kissy faces at Alphys.

Tallon opens her mouth and a floating hand covers it. She looks over to see Gaster pointing at her, “No.” He recalls the floating hand, but eyes her, waiting to stop her from making a joke. 

Tallon looks around at her friends, her family, and feels a warmth in her SOUL. 

It’s coming together, this peace that they’re working towards.

They’re all laughing. 

They’re all happy.

That’s enough, for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it, that's the end. Thanks for coming along this long...drawn out ride. Sorry it took me so long to wrap it up, I lost motivation to write anything recently but I'm getting it back. I'm gonna let you in on my next project, as it's connected to this story. I'm doing a rewrite of this, essentially. While I like the back and forth of the two timelines and the vague confusion that comes with it, I do want to try and explore the same story from a linear pov. So I'm going to be making a (hopefully) three-part series called Rewind, where we will be following Tallon from her first REAL discovery of the mountain, her first route through the underground (part one), and then the subsequent route to fix everything (part two), then maybe I'll write about the integration of monsters into society? Rewind will be more abstract in writing, as this one does pretty well in using most of the game dialogue. So yeah, if you're interested then look forward to that starting up sometime soonish? And if not then I'm glad you at least liked Ready Player 2!  
> Questions, comments, concerns, just wanna chat? Post below and I'll gladly answer!  
> -JM


End file.
